EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Asthma

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will require local education authorities to implement an asthma policy; and if she will remind them of her Department's 1996 guidelines for supporting children with medical needs in schools.

Stephen Timms: We encourage all local education authorities and schools in England to have policies for supporting pupils' medical conditions, including asthma. We reminded them in the spring of the importance of following our guidelines.

Standard Spending Assessment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how standard spending assessments for education take into account the impact of large movements of pupils with differing needs across local authority boundaries.

Stephen Timms: The current system allocates extra funding for additional needs on the basis of where pupils are educated, rather than where they live. We are currently working on a new funding system for introduction in 2003–04. Our aim is for the new system to be fairer and clearer, and justified by the educational needs of children. We want it to be child and school based, taking into account cross-LEA boundary migration.

National Insurance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact the increased national insurance contributions announced in the Budget will have on special needs schools.

Ivan Lewis: The cost to all special schools in England will be around £6 million a year from 2003–04. This cost will be considered along side other priorities and pressures in the 2002 spending review.

National Insurance

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) of 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 571W, how much the increases in national insurance announced in the Budget will cost the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school, expressed on a cost per pupil basis.

Stephen Timms: On average, the changes will cost about £15 per primary school pupil and about £20 per secondary school pupil in England from 2003–04. These costs will be considered as part of this year's Spending Review alongside other priorities and pressures.

Youth Service

Phil Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to improve the quality of and resources for the Youth Service.

Ivan Lewis: Under the Government's "Transforming Youth Work" agenda we will publish later this year our view of an adequate and sufficient' Youth Service. In the longer term this will be supported by the introduction of National Quality Standards, National Performance Measures, a Common Planning Framework, a new National Management Training Programme, and a Workforce Development Strategy. In addition we have provided £49 million to Youth Services over the next two years to support this agenda.

Medical Students

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to provide more financial support for medical students in higher education, with particular regard to graduate entrants.

Margaret Hodge: There are special arrangements for both undergraduate and graduate medical students. Students on undergraduate courses pay no tuition fees in year five and later years and become eligible for means- tested NHS bursaries and reduced-rate income contingent student loans made on generous terms. Students undertaking the four year graduate entry programme have the same enhanced support in years two to four. In the other years medical students are eligible for DfES student support on the same basis as other students.

School Discipline

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what policies are in place to tackle poor behaviour and promote discipline in schools.

Ivan Lewis: We have provided extensive support to schools including funding for over 1,050 Learning Support Units for disruptive pupils, guidance on discipline and exclusion policies, and guidance on developing effective anti-bullying strategies.
	In addition, the £66 million made available through this year's Budget will fund a programme of focused support for schools in the 34 LEAs facing the toughest challenges of behaviour and criminality.

Student Funding

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proposals she has to increase student funding.

Margaret Hodge: Our review of student finance is still under way. We shall make an announcement on the outcome of the review when it is complete.

School Funding

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of money provided to schools by her Department is allocated to specific purposes and activities.

Stephen Timms: Recurrent funding for schools is channelled through local education authorities and is made up of Education Standard Spending, the Standards Fund, the Schools Standards Grant and other special grants.
	Education Standard Spending is the amount the Government consider appropriate for local authorities to spend on education from their total budgets and is not ring-fenced for specific purposes or activities. In addition, the School Standards Grant is paid to schools to be used by them as they wish to raise standards.
	LEAs and schools receive Standards Fund Grant for particular specific purposes and activities such as the literacy and numeracy strategies. Other special grants are paid to schools to support payments to teachers passing the threshold and performance pay for teachers. Schools also receive funding via education action zones for particular purposes. Taken together these account for 11.7 per cent. of recurrent education funding for LEAs and schools. Of this, around half is devolved to schools from the Standards Fund for them to spend on their own priorities within the broad objectives of the Standards Fund programme.
	Capital funding for schools is provided through a combination of credit approvals, Government grant, and through the Private Finance Initiative. Around 45 per cent. of capital funding is allocated for specific purposes or activities.

School Funding

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what extra funding she has made available to schools with classes of 8, 9 and 10-year- olds containing more than 30 children in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: In 2001–02 we made up to £73 million available to local education authorities to make progress on class sizes at Key Stage 2. We estimate that this has paid for around 500 additional teachers and 500 new classrooms.

Mathematics

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the measures that she has taken to increase the number of young people taking AS and A-level mathematics.

Ivan Lewis: Because post-16 education is not compulsory, the Government is not able to promote an individual subject at the expense of others. But we are keen to see that students take on a broader range of subjects, mixing science and art subjects, including mathematics. To encourage this, we have made available additional funding to schools and colleges.

Centres of Vocational Excellence

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the new centres of vocational excellence.

Ivan Lewis: On 29 April we announced new money to fund an extra 100 centres of vocational excellence. Centres of vocational excellence will develop new, and enhance existing, excellent vocational provision which is focused on meeting the skills needs of employers, nationally, regionally and locally.
	An additional £57 million is being invested into extending the centres of vocational excellence programme beyond our existing commitment to create centres of vocational excellence in half of all general further education colleges by 2004. The money, £40 million of which is new resource from the Capital Modernisation Fund announced in the Budget, will fund an extra 50 centres in colleges and an additional 50 centres of vocational excellence based in organisations beyond the further education sector, such as private or voluntary training providers.
	For the first time, we are inviting training providers outside the further education sector to become involved in the programme. These new centres will help us harness the valuable experience that many in the private and voluntary training sectors possess and is a direct response to the positive feedback we received for this proposal in our consultation.
	We have made excellent progress to date. The first 16 centres are up and running and beginning to deliver excellent results across a range of industries. A further 70 have just been established and the first non-college centres of vocational excellence come on stream later this month. By March 2004 there will be 250 centres of vocational excellence making a vital contribution to increasing the nation's vocational skills and productivity.

Further Education

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the results from the inspections of further education colleges in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: Of the 93 college inspections carried out to date under the new regime, results have been published for 44 colleges. There have been some good results, but there is still some way to go to achieve consistent quality.

Further Education

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received about funding and other support for further education colleges.

John Healey: Ministers have received extensive recent representations about funding and other support for further education. In particular, the Association of Colleges, NATFHE, the NUS and others organised a lobby of Parliament on 23 April on the issues of further education funding, pay and support. We are listening carefully to the views of those in the further education sector and will take these into account in determining how best to use the 2002 spending review settlement.

Further Education

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on funding for further education.

John Healey: The Government are steadily increasing investment in further education. By next year funding for further education will have risen by 26 per cent. in real terms since 1997. The Learning and Skills Council's funding rates for programmes delivered by further education colleges are increasing by 2.5 per cent. above current rate of inflation for the 2002–03 academic year. Beyond this we are looking to the current spending review to deliver the resources needed to meet the Government's ambitions for further education.

Sector Skills Councils

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on progress in the establishment of sector skills councils.

John Healey: Five Trailblazer sector skills councils were announced in December 2001 covering audio visual industries, land-based industries, apparel, footwear and textiles, oil and gas extraction, chemicals manufacturing and petroleum industries and the retail sector. Four Trailblazer sector skills councils have received two-year licences, the fifth should follow shortly. The Sector Skills Development Agency is expected to call for formal expressions of interest to establish new sector skills councils in the next few weeks.

University Entrants

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to encourage university applications from pupils from lower socio-economic groups.

Margaret Hodge: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Tony Wright).

University Entrants

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the number of university applications for the coming year.

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the number of university applications for the next academic year.

Margaret Hodge: The latest data published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service show that the number of applications is 1.5 per cent. higher than last year. This is very welcome and indicates the strength of demand for British higher education. The 4.6 per cent. rise in applications from mature entrants is particularly welcome since we have introduced generous additional support for student parents, including a child care grant and a travel and equipment grant.

Reception Classes

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidelines she issues on ensuring that parents do not come under inappropriate pressure to enrol their children in reception classes before they are ready.

Stephen Timms: The code of practice on school admissions says that admission authorities can offer places in reception classes to parents before their children are of compulsory school age (e.g. five), but also that parents accepting the offer can ask to defer their child's entry until he or she is of compulsory school age, provided the place is taken up within the same academic year.

Teachers

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the reasons teachers leave the profession.

Stephen Timms: The Department has commissioned Professor Alan Smithers and Dr. Pamela Robinson, from the university of Liverpool, Centre for Education and Employment Research to undertake research into this issue. The study is gathering information from a nationally representative survey of teachers leaving the profession about the factors affecting their decisions to leave teaching. The research commenced in December 2001 and we expect the report to be published in March 2003.

Higher Education Funding Review

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to announce the findings of the Government's review of higher education funding.

Margaret Hodge: The Government's plans for higher education funding in England will be announced later in the year, when the present spending review is concluded.

Special Educational Needs

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support her Department gives to local education authorities seeking to raise standards in meeting special educational needs.

Ivan Lewis: Officials in the Department's Special Educational Needs Division support local education authorities in raising standards in meeting special educational needs through offering guidance, drawing on expertise provided by educational advisers, building consultants, members of the Office for Standards in Education, officials in other Government Departments and voluntary organisations. Education standard spending assessment support for local education authorities for 2002–03 totalled £23.68 billion, an increase of nearly £1.2 billion compared with 2001–02. By 2003–04 average recurrent funding per pupil will have increased by over £760 in real terms since 1997–98. In addition £91 million was available from the Department's Standards Fund for special educational needs for 2002–03. This represents more than a fivefold increase compared with the £17 million available in 1997–98.

Special Educational Needs

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children per 1,000 are issued with a statement of special needs in (a) Boston and Skegness, (b) Lincolnshire and (c) England.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table:
	
		Pupils with statements of special educational needs(1) -- January 2001
		
			  Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN(2) Number of pupils per 1,000 with a statement of SEN 
		
		
			 Boston and Skegness parliamentary constituency(3) 13,005 296 22.8 
			 Lincolnshire local education authority(3) 100,666 3,218 32.0 
			 England 7,733,640 249,300 32.2 
		
	
	(1) Includes maintained primary and secondary schools and maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	(2) Estimates have been made at national level for January 2001 because the data for SEN are known to be incomplete. Figures given for Boston and skegness parliamentary constituency and Lincolnshire LEA are as reported by schools in the Boston and Skegness parliamentary constituency and Lincolnshire LEA areas.
	(3) Pupils attending schools within Boston and Skegness parliamentary constituency and Lincolnshire local education authority.

Special Educational Needs

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provision for special educational needs statementing will be in place for children in accommodation centres (a) on arrival at the accommodation centre and (b) before entering mainstream schools.

Ivan Lewis: We expect the needs of most children with special educational needs to be met by the provision in the accommodation centres in the same way as in schools. Where asked by an accommodation centre to carry out a statutory assessment of a child's needs, the local education authority will consider the request in the same way as for other children and, where appropriate, will draw up a statement of special educational needs.

Sixth Form Colleges

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects that the funding for students at sixth form colleges will be raised to the same level as for students in school sixth forms.

Ivan Lewis: The Government have set no timetable for achieving equivalent funding between further education and sixth form colleges and school sixth forms. We have made it clear that bringing the level of funding for colleges towards that of school sixth forms can be done only as resources allow and it would be unwise to commit ourselves beyond the resources we secure. We are looking to the current spending review to provide the resources needed to deliver the Government's ambitious agenda for further education.

Tuition Fees

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total income was from student tuition fees in (a) 1996–97 and (b) each of the subsequent five financial years.

Margaret Hodge: The available information is shown in the following table. Data for 2001–02 will be available in April 2003.
	
		Total income from student tuition fees(4): UK higher education institutions -- £ million
		
			 Financial Year Tuition Fee Income 
		
		
			 1996–97 2,347 
			 1997–98 2,469 
			 1998–99 2,675 
			 1999–2000 2,814 
			 2000–01 2,997 
		
	
	(4) Covers tuition fee income from all students (home, EU and other overseas) on full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and students on non-credit-bearing courses.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of claims made by learning providers, following the closure of the Individual Learning Account scheme, have been paid; when the rest will be paid; and what factors underlie the delay in completing payments.

John Healey: At the end of April, 93 per cent. of claims made by registered learning providers following the closure of the Individual Learning Account programme on 23 November 2001 had been paid.
	Payments are only withheld pending follow up and investigation where serious complaints from trainees have been received by the Department or where there are serious concerns about the provider's operation of the programme.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she has been notified of closures of small firms providing learning or training following the closure of the Individual Learning Account Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The Department has been notified of the closure of four small firms providing learning or training following the closure of the Individual Learning Account (ILA) programme. We have no information to suggest that these were directly related to the closure of the Individual Learning Account (ILA) programme.

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many days of sick leave were taken in her Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to her Department.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 14 May 2002
	An average of 7.7 days sick leave were taken by employees in the former Department for Education and Employment in 2000, the latest year for which this information is available. Information is not held for the other questions and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, no compensation has been paid to employees specifically for work related stress.
	My Department is committed to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost due to sickness absence generally and due to work related injuries and illness arising from the Government's revitalising health and safety initiative.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the mandate of the Socrates Committee (and Erasmus and Comenius Subcommittees) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The purpose of the Socrates Committee is set out in the Council Decision 253/2000/EC of 24 January 2000, which established the second phase of the Socrates programme. The Socrates Committee has met formally three times over the last 12 months, with an additional informal meeting in May 2002. The sub-committees for schools and higher education have met twice each. Two officials from the UK attend the Socrates Committee meetings, and one official usually attends the sub-committee meetings. Travel expenses were met from Commission resources. The subsistence and travelling costs incurred by this Department was about £8,485.00, for the committee and sub-committee meetings over the past twelve months, of which about £4,860 was reimbursed by the Commission.
	The next Socrates Committee meeting will consider approval of the selection of projects for 2002–03, a discussion of the programme budget, the monitoring and evaluation of the programme, and EC and general educational initiatives impacting on the programme. The Schools sub-committee will consider the allocation of funds to the Comenius action for schools. The next meeting of the higher education sub-committee is expected to be in the autumn. An agenda will not be available until nearer the time, but it is likely to cover various aspects of Erasmus, the higher education part of the Socrates programme, and EC and general initiatives impacting on higher education.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Applied Science and Technology

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage increase in funding per year per student studying applied science and technology subjects was, using 1997 as a base of 100, in each year since 1997, awarded to (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) schools with a sixth form in each year since 1997.

John Healey: holding answer 15 May 2002
	The specific information requested is not available. The table shows the overall unit of funding each year in general further education colleges and sixth form colleges as a percentage of the 1997–98 overall funding rate for general further education colleges. The year on year changes are the same for all subject areas. Information on a similar basis is not available for schools.
	
		
			  General further education colleges  Sixth form colleges 
		
		
			 1997–98 100 108.2 
			 1998–99 101.8 104.9 
			 1999–2000 104.3 105.4 
			 2000–01 105.0 105.4 
			 2001–02 106.4 106.4 
			 2002–03 109.0 109.0

Law Enforcement Agencies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities designated with legislation there are within the responsibility of her Department; and what complaints procedure is available for each.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 16 May 2002
	None.

Juvenile Sex Abusers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures her Department takes to address the needs of children and young people who sexually abuse; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Dealing with children and young people who sexually abuse requires contributions from different agencies—covering youth justice, child welfare, education and health, including child and adolescent mental health services. The response to these children and young people should take place within the framework of guidance set out in "Working Together to Safeguard Children", issued in December 1999 by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Education and Employment.
	The Department for Education and Skills has made available to schools on request a guidance pack entitled "Bullying: don't suffer in silence" which is intended to help Headteachers in fulfilling their duty to draw up measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. The pack refers to bullying which is sexual in nature and it sets out some suggested strategies to deal with such behaviour. It also mentions that a proven sexual assault is likely to lead to the exclusion from the school of the perpetrator. However, we recognise that excluded pupils often need further help in managing their behaviour from personnel such as Education Welfare Officers or Educational Psychologists.

Juvenile Sex Abusers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms are in place for information- sharing between social services and schools regarding children and young people who sexually abuse.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 22 May 2002
	The guidance "Working Together to Safeguard Children", issued jointly by the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health in December 1999, sets out the role of statutory agencies in responding to young abusers.
	In addition to collaborative working at the individual case level, there is also ongoing contact between schools, social services and criminal justice agencies at the strategic level, through local Area Child Protection Committees.
	All schools should be aware of local child protection policies, (as required by DfEE Circular 10–95) and should designate a member of staff to be responsible for child protection issues—including children who sexually abuse other young people. In cases of suspected abuse, the designated staff member should inform social services.
	To ensure that all information sharing arrangements between schools and social services complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Circular includes a checklist provided by the then Data Protection Registrar (now the Information Commissioner).

Deaf Young People (Education)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of young people who are profoundly deaf went into further and higher education in each of the last three years.

John Healey: holding answer 16 May 2002
	Figures for people entering further or higher education who are profoundly deaf are not available, although we can provide those recorded as having a hearing impairment.
	The number of people in England registered as deaf or hard of hearing with their local authority, at 31 March 2001, is 194,840. However the true number of people in England with mild, moderate, severe or profound deafness is likely to be much more and was estimated by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People in 1996 to be 7,243,000.
	The number of people in Further Education recorded as having a hearing impairment is not available before 2000–01. Figures for 2000–01 are as follows:
	
		
			   Numbers in Further Education (FE) in England Numbers in FE in England recorded as having a hearing impairment as their main disability(5) 
		
		
			 All ages 3,537,620 9,291 
			 Aged 16–18 inclusive(6) 621,542 1,217 
		
	
	(5) Based upon the students' own self-assessments
	(6) Age as at 31 August
	Source:
	Individualised Student Records collected by the Learning and Skills Council on 31 July 2001
	The numbers of people in English domiciles, at UK Higher Education Institutions, recorded as deaf/having a hearing impairment are as follows:
	
		
			  Number starting Higher Education (HE)(7) Number starting HE recorded as "deaf/have a hearing impairment"(8) 
		
		
			 1998–99  
			 All ages 555,300 1,320 
			 Aged 16–18 inclusive(9) 120,200 190 
			 1999–2000   
			 All ages 554,400 1,340 
			 Aged 16–18 inclusive(9) 118,200 220 
			 2000–01   
			 All ages 567,300 1,530 
			 Aged 16–18 inclusive(9) 117,300 250 
		
	
	(7) A census count of England domiciled students on the first year of higher education courses in UK HE institutions, as at 1 December, rounded to nearest 100.
	(8) Based upon the students' own self-assessments, rounded to nearest 10.
	(9) Age as at 31 August.
	Source:
	July Student Records collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Work-related Illness

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many days of sick leave were taken by employees in her Department in the last year for which records are available; what proportion of those were due to work-related illness or injury; and what the cost to the Department was.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 20 May 2002
	An average of 7.7 days sick leave were taken by employees in the former Department for Education and Employment in 2000, the latest year for which this information is available. Information is not held for sick absences due to work-related illness or injury and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	During the period April 2001 to March 2002 three cases for work related illness reached final settlement at a cost of £20,318 including solicitors' fees. During the same period the Department received £3,280 back from a previous case where a claimant lost an appeal.
	My Department is committed to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost due to sickness absence as published in our Service Delivery Agreement.

Truancy

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many recorded truants have missed more than 33 per cent. school days in the past year, broken down by local education authority.

Ivan Lewis: This level of detail is not available. Information on the number of pupils missing due to unauthorised absence is collected at school level. The number of days missed by individual pupils cannot be identified from this data.

Dyslexia

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to make use of courses run by the dyslexia treatment centres; and what assessment she has made of the research carried out by DDAT on inner ear balance disorder and its relationship with dyslexia.

Ivan Lewis: The dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit (DDAT) treatment is one of a number of commercially available programmes of help designed to support children with specific learning difficulties. It is for parents, individual schools and local education authorities to decide whether a given technique has something to offer an individual child in the light of his or her particular needs. The Department has no plans to commission research into this particular technique but it is one of number of approaches assessed by Dr. Angela Fawcett of Sheffield university in her third review of dyslexia research. This may be consulted on the Department's special educational needs website.

School Exclusions

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school exclusions of one term or more there have been in the past year, broken down by local education authority.

Ivan Lewis: The available information covering permanent exclusions is shown in the table.
	Information on the duration of fixed period (temporary) exclusions is not collected centrally.
	
		Number of permanent exclusions(10) 1999–2000 by local education authority area, by Government Office region in England
		
			   Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(11) 
		
		
			 England 8,323 0.11 
			
			 North-east 482 0.11 
			
			 Darlington 27 0.17 
			 Durham 114 0.14 
			 Gateshead 14 0.05 
			 Hartlepool 15 0.09 
			 Middlesbrough 3 0.01 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 73 0.19 
			 North Tyneside 50 0.16 
			 Northumberland 42 0.08 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 37 0.14 
			 South Tyneside 36 0.14 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 27 0.08 
			 Sunderland 44 0.09 
			
			 North-west 1,314 0.12 
			
			 Blackburn with Darwen 40 0.16 
			 Blackpool 21 0.10 
			 Bolton 50 0.11 
			 Bury 39 0.13 
			 Cheshire 119 0.11 
			 Cumbria 39 0.05 
			 Halton 35 0.16 
			 Knowsley 6 0.02 
			 Lancashire 167 0.09 
			 Liverpool 175 0.22 
			 Manchester 114 0.17 
			 Oldham 51 0.12 
			 Rochdale 43 0.12 
			 Salford 77 0.22 
			 Sefton 56 0.12 
			 St. Helens 28 0.09 
			 Stockport 51 0.12 
			 Tameside 41 0.11 
			 Trafford 30 0.08 
			 Warrington 32 0.10 
			 Wigan 53 0.10 
			 Wirral 47 0.08 
			
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 819 0.10 
			
			 Barnsley 43 0.12 
			 Bradford 116 0.13 
			 Calderdale 11 0.03 
			 Doncaster 121 0.23 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 20 0.04 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 30 0.07 
			 Kirklees 72 0.11 
			 Leeds 71 0.06 
			 North-east Lincolnshire 38 0.13 
			 North Lincolnshire 39 0.15 
			 North Yorkshire 40 0.05 
			 Rotherham 32 0.07 
			 Sheffield 111 0.15 
			 Wakefield 59 0.11 
			 York 16 0.06 
			
			 East Midlands 696 0.10 
			
			 Derby 47 0.12 
			 Derbyshire 91 0.08 
			 Leicester 107 0.22 
			 Leicestershire 80 0.08 
			 Lincolnshire 107 0.11 
			 Northamptonshire 105 0.10 
			 Nottingham 55 0.13 
			 Nottinghamshire 102 0.08 
			 Rutland 2 0.04 
			 West Midlands 1,104 0.12 
			
			 Birmingham 274 0.15 
			 Coventry 95 0.19 
			 Dudley 39 0.08 
			 Herefordshire 27 0.11 
			 Sandwell 132 0.25 
			 Shropshire 23 0.06 
			 Solihull 37 0.10 
			 Staffordshire 99 0.07 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 60 0.16 
			 Telford and Wrekin 50 0.19 
			 Walsall 51 0.10 
			 Warwickshire 82 0.11 
			 Wolverhampton 26 0.06 
			 Worcestershire 109 0.13 
			
			 East of England 735 0.09 
			
			 Bedfordshire 56 0.09 
			 Cambridgeshire 20 0.03 
			 Essex 182 0.09 
			 Hertfordshire 175 0.10 
			 Luton 15 0.05 
			 Norfolk 84 0.07 
			 Peterborough 38 0.13 
			 Southend-on-Sea 29 0.11 
			 Suffolk 100 0.10 
			 Thurrock 36 0.16 
			
			 London 1,289 0.12 
			
			 Inner London 516 0.14 
			 Camden 22 0.10 
			 City of London 1 0.45 
			 Hackney 31 0.12 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 21 0.12 
			 Haringey 25 0.07 
			 Islington 20 0.08 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 24 0.23 
			 Lambeth 31 0.11 
			 Lewisham 75 0.21 
			 Newham 33 0.07 
			 Southwark 69 0.20 
			 Tower Hamlets 31 0.09 
			 Wandsworth 94 0.33 
			 Westminster 39 0.22 
			
			 Outer London 773 0.11 
			 Barking and Dagenham 31 0.11 
			 Barnet 57 0.12 
			 Bexley 33 0.08 
			 Brent 57 0.15 
			 Bromley 28 0.06 
			 Croydon 87 0.18 
			 Ealing 27 0.06 
			 Enfield 73 0.15 
			 Greenwich 43 0.12 
			 Harrow 39 0.13 
			 Havering 34 0.09 
			 Hillingdon 47 0.12 
			 Hounslow 52 0.14 
			 Kingston upon Thames 16 0.08 
			 Merton 23 0.10 
			 Redbridge 29 0.07 
			 Richmond upon Thames 25 0.13 
			 Sutton 19 0.07 
			 Waltham Forest 53 0.15 
			 South-east 1,251 0.11 
			
			 Bracknell Forest 29 0.19 
			 Brighton and Hove 45 0.15 
			 Buckinghamshire 63 0.08 
			 East Sussex 72 0.11 
			 Hampshire 181 0.10 
			 Isle of Wight 11 0.06 
			 Kent 253 0.12 
			 Medway 75 0.17 
			 Milton Keynes 35 0.10 
			 Oxfordshire 76 0.09 
			 Portsmouth 27 0.10 
			 Reading 35 0.20 
			 Slough 10 0.05 
			 Southampton 15 0.05 
			 Surrey 133 0.10 
			 West Berkshire 16 0.07 
			 West Sussex 131 0.12 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 25 0.13 
			 Wokingham 19 0.08 
			
			 South-west 633 0.09 
			
			 Bath and North-east Somerset 26 0.10 
			 Bournemouth 7 0.03 
			 Bristol, City of 104 0.21 
			 Cornwall 58 0.08 
			 Devon 79 0.08 
			 Dorset 35 0.06 
			 Gloucestershire 91 0.11 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0.00 
			 North Somerset 41 0.15 
			 Plymouth 23 0.06 
			 Poole 5 0.03 
			 Somerset 62 0.09 
			 South Gloucestershire 23 0.06 
			 Swindon 20 0.07 
			 Torbay 18 0.09 
			 Wiltshire 41 0.06 
		
	
	(10) Maintained primary and secondary schools and maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	(11) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (head count) of pupils in primary, secondary and special schools, excluding dually registered pupils in special schools in January 2000.
	Source:
	Annual schools' census.

School Exclusions

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the numbers of pupils excluded from schools.

Ivan Lewis: Only statistics on permanent exclusions from school are collected centrally. The statistical first release on exclusions published this morning shows that there were 9,210 permanent exclusions from school in England in the 2000–01 school year. Our priority now is to provide suitable full time education for permanently excluded pupils and we have a public service agreement target to ensure that all local education authorities offer this by September 2002.

Computers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will discuss with software companies whether they would be prepared to waive rights and let licences be passed from one user to another when personal computers are reconditioned or similarly second-hand and the recipients are schools and educational facilities.

John Healey: My Department has regular meetings with major software suppliers and these discussions include issues related to the particular rights on licences. Our aim is to ensure that education institutions obtain best value for money, and usually the cost of licences for education is considerably lower than other market areas. It is important that schools are properly licensed, and most suppliers will offer substantial discounts to schools. This applies both to new, second hand or reconditioned computers.

Unpaid Advisers

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 129W, what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of unpaid advisers who have assisted the work of her Department since June 1997 but are not included in the Cabinet Office's annual report "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews 2000–01".

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 21 May 2002
	The Secretary of State has appointed Sir Cyril Taylor as her unpaid adviser for the specialist schools programme, and on sponsorship for education action zones.
	I apologise to the right hon. Member. Sir Cyril Taylor's name should have been included in my reply to him of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 129W, but was omitted in error.

Breakfast Clubs

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evaluation she has made of the value of breakfast clubs in enhancing the attendance and achievement of school pupils.

Ivan Lewis: Evidence shows that out-of-school- hours study support, including breakfast clubs, can make a real difference to children's attitudes to school, attendance and attainment. Specific evaluation of breakfast clubs also points to benefits such as improved punctuality, concentration, social skills, and relationships with staff.

Sixth Forms

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact of the establishment of the Learning and Skills Council on the funding arrangements for school sixth forms.

Ivan Lewis: The Learning and Skills Council began funding LEAs for their school sixth form provision in April. Funding allocations were notified to LEAs and schools in early March. All LEAs have received their first tranche payments from the LSC.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Caroline Flint: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will examine ways of achieving more effective representation by the CPS in handling breaches of antisocial behaviour orders.

Harriet Harman: A breach of an antisocial behaviour order is a criminal offence and the CPS will prosecute when the police send them a file.
	Last year there were 85 prosecutions for breaches of ASBOs of which 69 resulted in a conviction.

Crown Prosecution Service

Mike O'Brien: To ask the Solicitor-General what action she has taken to introduce anti-discrimination policies within the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: Anti-discrimination measures already implemented include:
	(1) training over 6,000 members of staff in equality and diversity, all staff have diversity objectives measured through the performance appraisal system,
	(2) the appointment of 11 regional officers,
	(3) campaigns on "dignity at work"
	(4) a raft of community engagement initiatives across the country,
	(5) all personnel procedures have been reviewed to ensure they are not discriminatory,
	(6) a new complaints procedure has been written, and there is a review of 15,000 cases to see whether there are indicators of discrimination in any part of the prosecution process.
	All these measures are already paying dividends: the CPS now has a representative workforce—11.6 per cent. of staff are from minority ethnic groups, this is higher than the percentage in the population. In London the figure is 30 per cent. This compares very well with other Government Departments.

Crown Prosecution Service

David Kidney: To ask the Solicitor-General what arrangements she has made for the Crown Prosecution Service to support the Government's aim of reducing street crime.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service is committed fully to playing its part in the street crime initiative. With police it developed the Premium Service. This is designed to deliver a premium service of best practice in investigation and prosecution.
	The premium service targets particular crime areas and will ensure that offenders are investigated and prosecuted with skill and determination. Experienced lawyers and detectives will handle cases and they will work closely together. An extra £6 million is being allocated to the CPS to free up experienced lawyers to concentrate on this work.
	Key features of the Premium Service include:
	early CPS advice to get the charge right first time;
	working closely with the police throughout the preparation of the case and the court hearing;
	speeding up the criminal justice process by using measures such as Narey courts, telephone advice, urgent conferences and simple, unbureaucratic procedures;
	more careful consideration given to discontinuing prosecutions;
	extra care for victims and witnesses;
	use of videos in court to show the court the full picture of a robbery;
	opposing bail when appropriate and being robust about appealing against decisions to grant bail;
	presenting full evidence of previous convictions.
	In addition, Premium Service arrangements have been made in relation to the care of victims and witnesses.
	The Crown Prosecution Service has also been at the forefront in developing area protocols in partnership with criminal justice agencies at a local level. These protocols are designed to ensure that there is engagement all the way through the criminal justice system and with the local community.
	The CPS has engaged fully with its criminal justice partners, meeting regularly at local levels and nationally at strategic levels. It has taken national areas of concern, such as those surrounding bail, and worked towards solutions that benefit the whole of the criminal justice system.
	Both the Attorney-General and I are being briefed regularly by the CPS about progress on this initiative. The Attorney-General attends the ministerial meetings, which the Prime Minister chairs, together with the DPP and the chief executive.

Witness Intimidation

Ben Chapman: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to identify cases of witness intimidation.

Harriet Harman: The police have the primary responsibility to identify that a case involves an intimidated witness.
	The Crown Prosecution Service will, as part of its case review, be alert to the possibility that the case may involve an intimidated or vulnerable witness and will take the appropriate action to protect witnesses, which could include an application for the remand of the defendant in custody or for special measures to protect an intimidated witness such as the video evidence screens or clearing the public gallery.

Death in Custody

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans she has to seek the involvement of the CPS in giving advice immediately following a death in custody.

Harriet Harman: In many cases the police already seek early legal advice from the Crown Prosecution Service during the investigation of a death in custody. The practice of the CPS giving early advice in these cases is one of the issues raised for consultation by the Attorney General in his review of the role and practices of the Crown Prosecution Service in cases arising from deaths in custody.

Crime Statistics (North Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on levels of (a) reported crimes and (b) successful prosecutions brought in North Yorkshire since 1996–97.

Harriet Harman: The level of reported crime in North Yorkshire stood at 50,924 cases for the year 1996–97.
	The figures for 2001–02, show 59,149 cases being reported in that year.
	Over the last two years there has been a drop in the number of convictions with 10,801 in 2001–02.

PRIME MINISTER

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what opinion polling has been carried out into the public's attitude to the euro since June 2001; what the cost has been of such polling; if he will publish the results; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The FCO announced on 5 December 2001 the results of its opinion poll on attitudes towards the European Union and put the results in the Library of the House. The poll, carried out by ICM on behalf of the FCO, cost £28,317.50.

Constituency Data

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Members who have requested statistical data, since 1 May 1997, on the effects of the Government's policies pertaining to their own constituency; what has been the average length of response to such parliamentary questions; what his policy is on length of response to parliamentary questions in general; what measures are taken to ensure political impartiality in such responses; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The Government have consistently made it clear, in response to reports of the Public Administration Select Committee, and previous questions from Members of the House, that they are committed to providing prompt and accurate answers to PQs. This remains the position.
	Details of Members who have requested information on the effect of Government policy on their respective constituencies can be obtained from the Library of the House.
	Information on the response time to this sort of question is not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	With regard to maintaining political impartiality in answers to PQs, the general principles which civil servants must follow are set out in the Civil Service Code, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Weston Park Agreement

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Northern Ireland political parties endorsed the Weston Park Agreement.

Des Browne: The Weston Park discussions did not result in immediate agreement between the Northern Ireland parties. Following intensive discussions there, the British and Irish Governments put a package of measures, covering all outstanding issues, to the parties on 1 August.

Organised Crime Task Force

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the work of the Organised Crime Task Force during the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The creation of the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force is the manifestation of the Government's commitment to help make Northern Ireland a stable and peaceful society. A year on from the publication of the task force's first Threat Assessment and Strategy, we have seen some truly remarkable successes against organised criminals in Northern Ireland. Concerted law enforcement activity has clearly played a vital role in disrupting and fragmenting the illegal acts of the criminals.
	I have today arranged for copies of the publication to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Kinetic Energy Projectiles

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been undertaken on (a) the energy attenuation features for future kinetic energy projectiles in order to reduce the severity of head injuries, (b) post-ricochet injuries and energy of baton rounds and steps that could be taken to reduce risk to non-targeted personnel from ricochets and (c) the features of a kinetic energy based system that are intrinsic to its use as a deterrent, in order to provide the analysis tools for maintaining the required performance but at a reduced risk of life-threatening injury.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply 
	as these issues relate to recommendations following an independent medical assessment of the safety of the L21A1 baton round undertaken by the Defence Scientific Advisory Council (DSAC) to my request.
	The assessment was completed prior to work on alternatives to the L21A1 being undertaken under the leadership of the Northern Ireland Office. This work seeks to address recommendations 69 and 70 of the Patten report. Phases 1 and 11 have been completed and publicly reported. This programme is currently assessing systems that offer potentially energy attenuating features and that will have different ricochet characteristics to L21A1. In support of this assessment the Government are undertaking a programme of trials and model development as well as recording information from L21A1 in service. These programmes therefore address energy attenuation features for kinetic energy projectiles and systems that will reduce risk from ricochet.
	In addition the Ministry of Defence has conducted a separate research programme into the characteristics of kinetic energy projectiles intrinsic to their use as a deterrent.

Provisional IRA Ceasefire

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the present status of the provisional IRA ceasefire in relation to the theft of intelligence information from PSNI Special Branch at Castlereagh police station.

John Reid: In relation to the break in at Castlereagh, the criminal investigation is continuing and the Acting Chief Constable has advised me that the PSNI are actively pursuing lines of inquiry. It would be wrong for me to make any comment which anticipated the outcome of the investigation.
	In relation to the status of the IRA's ceasefire, I do not believe that it is under threat.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Personnel (Deaths on Military Premises)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members or employees of Her Majesty's armed forces have died by self-inflicted injuries in and around military premises in each of the past eight years, indicating (a) the date of death of each person, (b) their gender, age and ethnic origin, (c) the military premises on which the fatal incident occurred and (d) the location, date and verdict of the inquest.

Adam Ingram: Between 1 January 1993 and 14 May 2002 there have been 156 suicides among serving members of the regular armed forces. To ensure that service personnel confidentiality is not compromised, it has been necessary to group the data by year, location and age group in the following tables. Of the 156 suicides only three were female. In respect of breakdown by ethnic origin, information is only available from May 1996—64 suicides were recorded as "White" and 10 were recorded as "Unspecified".
	It is not possible to provide information on self inflicted deaths as the definitions used for these deaths are currently under review. They are being checked for consistency against those used in the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
	Information on suicides can however be provided for this period, as these are well defined.
	
		Suicides in serving regular armed forces personnel by geographic location: 1 January 1993 to 14 May 2002
		
			  Location  
			  Year of death Great Britain (4) Northern Ireland Germany (BAOR)  Other Grand Total 
		
		
			 1 January  
			 1993 20 2 5 1 28 
			 1994 19 3 6 2 30 
			 1995 9 7 4 0 20 
			 1996 16 3 2 3 24 
			 1997 19 0 2 0 21 
			 1998 9 0 2 0 11 
			 1999 9 0 0 0 9 
			 2000 8 0 1 1 10 
			 2001 2 0 1 0 3 
			 Grand total 111 15 23 7 156 
		
	
	
		Suicides in serving regular armed forces personnel by age group: 1 January 1993 to 14 May 2002
		
			   Age group  
			 Year of death Under 30 30–39 40 and over Grand total 
		
		
			 1 January 
			 1993 18 8 2 28 
			 1994 24 5 1 30 
			 1995 13 6 1 20 
			 1996 15 8 1 24 
			 1997 11 8 2 21 
			 1998 6 3 2 11 
			 1999 4 4 1 9 
			 2000 4 5 1 10 
			 2001 2 1 0 3 
			 Grand total 97 48 11 156 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. There were no reported suicides for 2002 as at the 14 May 2002.
	2. Figures for suicides are subject to revision as further coroner's verdicts are reported to DASA.
	3. Census Survey categories, based on the 1991 Census Survey categories. Records of ethnic category for service personnel was not recorded prior to May 1996.
	4. Great Britain included UK Waters and North Atlantic.

Armed Forces

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many violent incidents involving (a) injury and (b) death of Her Majesty's forces personnel stationed or present at the Deepcut barracks have been (i) reported in the past eight years to the army medical services and (ii) sent on for treatment at a local hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There have been four deaths at Deepcut resulting from gunshot wounds over the last eight years. It is not possible to provide details of the number of injuries as, due to differing reporting criteria for sickness and injuries in the past, these data are unreliable. This shortcoming is being addressed.
	Since 1 January 1995, 28 personnel from 25 Training Support Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, Deepcut, have appeared before court-martial as a result of violent incidents. In addition, a further 41 soldiers have been dealt with summarily as a result of their involvement in such incidents since October 2000, the date from which central recording of summary dealing statistics began. It is not readily possible, however, to determine whether these incidents resulted in injury and/or death and, consequently, whether the Army medical services or local hospitals were involved in providing any treatment.

QinetiQ

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for the privatisation of QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 314W, about the route and timing for the sale of QinetiQ. The selection process for a strategic partner for QinetiQ is now well under way with initial bids from interested parties due by 20 May. The timetable is on track to identify the preferred bidder by summer 2002 and complete the process later this year.

QinetiQ

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the information memorandum sent to potential bidders for QinetiQ; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The QinetiQ information memorandum contains details about QinetiQ's business, including future commercial plans, and is therefore commercial-in- confidence. It was prepared solely for the use of bidders to aid them in the preparation of their indicative bids for a share of the business. In accordance with normal practice, these parties were required to sign confidentiality agreements before the information memorandum was sent to them. Publishing the document more widely would not be in the interests of a successful QinetiQ transaction and would risk damaging value for the taxpayer. I am, therefore, withholding the information requested under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

RAF Bases

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce the outcome of the study into the future of RAF Lyneham, Brize Norton and St. Mawgan.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The exact timing of the announcement of the outcome of the Strategic Review of RAF Lyneham, RAF Brize Norton and RAF St. Mawgan is not yet known but expected to be later this year.

Service Personnel

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people there were in the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Air Force in (i) 1980, (ii) 1985, (iii) 1990, (iv) 1995 and (v) 2000.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the UK Defence Statistics 2001, table 2.8, which lists these figures. A copy of this annual publication is held in the Library of the House.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made regarding the ratification of the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and what plans the Government have for the deployment of under-18s after its ratification.

Adam Ingram: Officials in both the Ministry of Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth Office are working actively towards ratification of the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and we expect to be in a position to ratify soon. This work includes finalising guidelines for the armed forces which are designed to ensure adherence to the protocol's requirement that all feasible measures be taken to avoid direct involvement in hostilities by those under 18 years of age while reflecting the practical position set out in the United Kingdom's declaration on signing, thus maintaining operational effectiveness. As part of the ratification process, an Explanatory Memorandum will be laid before Parliament to explain the significance of the optional protocol and will cover the steps being taken to enable ratification.

Air Services (RAF)

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to consult local interests before agreeing to the operation of scheduled services by commercial airlines from RAF Leuchars;
	(2)  what proposals have been made and by which airline companies for the operation of scheduled service from RAF Leuchars;
	(3)  what his policy is towards the use of front line RAF stations by commercial airlines operating scheduled services; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  on how many occasions Ministers or members of his Department have met representatives of commercial airline companies to discuss the operation of scheduled services from RAF Leuchars;
	(5)  if he will make it his policy to take amenity considerations into account when responding to proposals for the operation of scheduled air services from RAF stations.

Adam Ingram: As part of the Government's Wider Markets Initiative, RAF Strike Command is considering the feasibility for the exploitation of irreducible spare capacity on its airfields, which may include use by scheduled service operators. The primacy of military operations will not be diluted as a result of commercial activity. No formal proposals have been put forward by airline companies for the operation of scheduled services from RAF Leuchars. No Ministry of Defence Minister or official has met representatives of commercial airline companies to discuss the operation of scheduled services from RAF Leuchars, however, consultants advising the RAF have sought the views of the airline operator community. It is Ministry of Defence policy to consult fully and openly with representatives from relevant local and regional councils when examining the feasibility of any regular commercial airline activity at RAF bases.

Meteorological Office

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Meteorological Office for financial year 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: The chief executive of the Met Office is responsible for providing meteorological and related environmental services, including climate change prediction, to a wide range of customers, including the armed forces, Government, civil aviation, shipping, emergency services, media, commerce, industry and general public. The Met Office also undertakes research to meteorology and climate. This year, the Met Office will be set the following challenging targets. Key Target 1
	To achieve a value for the Numerical Weather Prediction Index of at least 109.5 on 31 March 2003, from a baseline of 100.0 on 31 March 2000.
	Key Target 2
	To achieve a value for the Service Quality Index of at least 115.4 on 31 March 2003, from a baseline of 100.0 on 31 March 1997, in line with customer requirements.
	Key Target 3
	A three-year target to achieve a value for the Efficiency Index of at least 111.6 by 31 March 2003 was announced last year, but has been passed ahead of schedule. A revised target is therefore set which is: To achieve a value for the Efficiency Index of at least 120.5 on 31 March 2003, from a baseline of 100.0 on 31 March 2000.
	Key Target 4
	To ensure a positive Return On Capital Employed in 2002–03, while returning an operating profit of at least £13.3 million before strategic investments.
	Key Target 5
	To achieve strategic investment in 2002–03 or £19.4 million ± £1.5 million.
	Key Target 6
	To achieve a total contribution from commercial activities in 2002–03 of at least £3.8 million.
	Key Target 7
	To achieve a value for the Staff Skills Index of at least 107.5 by 31 March 2004, from a baseline of 100.0 as at 31 March 2001.

Eurofighter

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Eurofighter is expected to enter service with the Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: As I made clear on 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1139W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) the June 2002 In-Service-Date for Eurofighter was becoming increasingly challenging to achieve. Although good progress has been made by industry, with the first three instrumented production aircraft achieving successful first flights in early April, delays in bringing the detailed design to full maturity in some areas prevented the flight test programme from starting on time. Following a thorough review of the programme involving the partner nations, the NATO agency responsible for undertaking the procurement, and industry, we have jointly concluded that acceptance of the first aircraft into service should be delayed, to take place by the end of this year, and we shall plan on that basis. We shall now be working hard with industry to recover lost time and achieve the planned Operational Employment Date in the second half of the decade, thus avoiding any gap in front-line capability or extra costs to the Ministry of Defence. The delays are disappointing but reflect the complexity of the project and the major advance in technology it represents. Initial flights of the instrumented production aircraft have been impressive and the Government remain fully committed to this contribution to the United Kingdom's military capability.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the legal costs to his Department of opposing claims by ex-service men for pensions claimed as a result of ill health stemming from their service on Christmas Island or other nuclear test sites in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The Veterans Agency does not employ legal services in the consideration of claims for war disablement pension, or in the appeals process.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to his Department of claims by ex-service men for pensions claimed as a result of ill health stemming from their service on Christmas Island and other nuclear test sites in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The exact information requested is not available. The estimated annual cost to the Veterans Agency of pensions awarded to ex-service men who served in the south Pacific and at other nuclear test sites amounts to £300,000.

Parliamentary Advisers

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of parliamentary advisers appointed to serve his Department.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 22 May 2002
	Ministers in this Department have made no such appointments.

European Security and Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the dispute between Greece and Turkey concerning the relations between ESDP and NATO has been resolved; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	Contacts continue between the EU and NATO, and between their members, to finalise the arrangements linking the two organisations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Committee for the application of the regulation authorising voluntary participation by undertakings in the industrial sector in eco-Community the co-management and audit scheme (EMAS) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	Regulation (EEC) No. 1836/93, allowing voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), was revised by Regulation (EC) No. 761/2001, with the effect that participation in EMAS is now open to organisations in all economic sectors. The aim of the scheme is to promote the continual improvement of environmental performance in organisations through them establishing an environmental management system and publishing an environmental report, both of which have to be independently verified. Registered organisations are entitled to use the EMAS logo to advertise their participation in the scheme. A committee composed of representatives of member states and chaired by the commission has been established to assist the commission in the implementation and operation of the scheme.
	The Committee has met three times in the last 12 months. The UK is formally represented by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The cost of attending the committee over the last 12 months was approximately £4,000. The main issues currently under consideration by the committee are the relationship of EMAS with the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation; the development of marketing and promotional initiatives to increase participation in the scheme; the use of EMAS in other Community policies and instruments; and the potential for wider use of the EMAS logo in applications like product information.

Correspondence

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will answer the letters dated 14 November 2001 from the hon. Member for Canterbury regarding Pipeflex Limited-funding.

Brian Wilson: I wrote to the hon. Member on 23 May 2002.

Export Credits

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what her policy is towards the offer of export credits for the support of offset in defence deals arrangements;
	(2)  what her policy is towards the offer of credits and the apportionment of liabilities to support projects and exports which form part of multi-national defence export offset deals in which other European Union export credit agencies are involved.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answers 21 May 2002
	Offset related to UK defence exports would normally take the form of investments in, or arranging exports from, the buyer's country.
	ECGD support would need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and is most likely to take the form of political risk insurance to UK companies seeking to make overseas investments in connection with offset arrangements. Limited support might also be available for goods exported from a buyer's country, but the rules are complex and it is not possible to generalise.

Post Offices

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to improve the management of the post office network.

Patricia Hewitt: A new chairman will be recruited to lead the board of Post Office Ltd. (the Consignia subsidiary which operates the network) and to work with the recently appointed chief executive, David Mills, in the development and implementation of a new vision and strategy for the business.

Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Rights

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to consult on draft regulations in respect of new maternity, paternity and adoption rights.

Alan Johnson: My Department is today publishing a consultation document on these new rights, highlighting a limited number of outstanding issues on which we are seeking comments. We are also making draft regulations available on the internet. The consultation document and regulations are available at www.dti.gov.uk/er/review/ htm, and comments are sought by 19 July 2002. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Regional Development Agencies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of regional development agency boards are made up by (a) business representatives, (b) councillors, (c) trade union members, (d) voluntary organisation representatives and (e) others.

Alan Johnson: The regional development agency (RDA) boards currently have the following backgrounds: (a) business 49 per cent., (b) local authority 26 per cent., (c) trade unions 7 per cent., (d) voluntary/community sectors 6 per cent. and (e) others 12 per cent. There are two vacant posts. These figures have been derived based on the primary experience of each board member. Many board members have expertise in more than one area of relevance to the work of the RDAs. These figures do not include London Development Agency (LDA) board members, as the LDA is the responsibility of the Greater London Authority.

Redundant Oil Installations

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to ensure that redundant oil installations from the North sea are properly disposed of onshore.

Brian Wilson: The Oslo and Paris convention of 1992 (OSPAR) provides for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic. Under the convention the UK has adopted OSPAR Decision 98/3 which provides a regime for the decommissioning of oil and gas installations and effectively prohibits sea disposal. There is a presumption that installations on the UK continental shelf will be brought back to shore for reuse, recycling or final disposal on land. However, the OSPAR Decision recognises that there may be difficulty in removing the "footings" of large steel jackets weighing more than 10,000 tonnes and in removing concrete installations. As a result derogations may be granted in these cases if the internationally agreed assessment and consultation process shows that leaving such installations wholly or partly in place is justifiable. If a derogation is granted, the permit will specify who will be liable for the remains and require suitable monitoring and management measures to prevent or mitigate any adverse consequences to both the environment and other users of the sea.
	In the UK, to ensure the orderly decommissioning of all installations, including those subject to derogation from the OSPAR decision, the decommissioning of each installation is addressed within a decommissioning programme. The programme assesses the potential decommissioning solutions and determines the most appropriate disposal option by balancing safety, the environment, impact on other users of the sea, technical feasibility and economics. The programme must be approved by the Secretary of State under the Petroleum Act 1998.

Coal Industry Pensions

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost is of the Government's guarantees associated with the report of the asset liability study carried out by the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme as a percentage of the surpluses over the next 30 years for each scheme.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 22 May 2002
	The findings of the asset liability studies commissioned by the trustees of the two former British Coal pension schemes remain confidential to the trustees and the Government.
	On 17 January the Government and the schemes' trustees made a joint statement agreeing a review of the arrangements for the Government's guarantee of basic retirement benefits for the members of the schemes. It was agreed that the review should explore how changes in circumstances since 1994, when British Coal was privatised, might best be reflected in revisions to the guarantee arrangements which would benefit members. In doing so, the trustees and the Government recognised that any revisions will need to be based on an equitable sharing of risk and reward between the schemes and the Exchequer, and will need to be sufficiently robust to operate satisfactorily in a wide range of conditions.

BCCI SA

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total retained interest earned on the moneys held by the ISA since 5 July 2001 is.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for part months could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

BCCI SA

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the total fees levied by the ISA were in the English liquidation of BCCI SA from 5 July 1991 to date;
	(2)  what moneys are held on deposit with the ISA in relation to BCCI SA;
	(3)  what (a) the total amount of interest paid to the liquidation estate by the ISA on moneys held and (b) the various rates of interest paid during the liquidation of BCCI SA were.

Melanie Johnson: These are matters for the liquidators.

Telecommunications Report

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has yet received a report by the Director General of Telecommunications for 2000, as required under section 55 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

Patricia Hewitt: Yes. The eighteenth report by the Director General of Telecommunications is being published today. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2001. This includes initiatives to develop the structures for the new communications regulator Ofcom and other initiatives to promote the interests of consumers and a competitive telecoms market. Copies of the report have been laid before the House of Parliament.

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many press releases were issued by her Department in each month between May and December 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The number of DTI press releases issued each month were:
	
		DTI press releases May to December 1997
		
			 Month Number 
		
		
			 May 35 
			 June 63 
			 July 75 
			 August 38 
			 September 53 
			 October 66 
			 November 78 
			 December 72 
		
	
	These monthly statistics include number of statutory announcements (merger clearances, power station consents and company winding up petitions) that the Department is required to issue when individual decisions are made.

Cefn Croes Windfarm

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will take her decision on the application to build a windfarm at Cefn Croes, Ceredigion.

Brian Wilson: I have today decided to grant consent under section 36 and section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to Renewable Development Company's applications to build a 58.5 MW windfarm and associated overhead electric line at Cefn Croes, Ceredigion.
	My decisions were only taken after extensive and thorough consideration of the representations received both for and against consent being granted.
	The Secretary of State has not used her discretionary power to call a public inquiry because all parties have already taken the opportunity to inform her of their concerns. I am confident that Ministers have all the necessary information on which to take the decisions on the applications.
	The decisions also took into account the fact that the local planning authority, Ceredigion county council did not object to the applications subject to conditions being attached to the planning permissions and the company entering into an obligation to pay the costs of a land management scheme and decommissioning.
	Copies of the press notice and decision letters are being placed in the Library of the House.

Edmonton Power Station

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will announce her decision on London Waste Ltd.'s application to extend the Edmonton energy-from-waste power station.

Brian Wilson: I have today decided that consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to London Waste Ltd.'s application cannot be given. The extension would have an annual throughput of waste of around 285,000 tonnes over and above the existing station's capacity of 550,000 tonnes per annum.
	In deciding not to grant consent I have taken into account the hierarchy for the treatment of waste set out in the Government's Waste Strategy 2000. Our policy is that waste should be minimised and recycling and composting undertaken before energy from waste is considered. I have considered all the information placed before me, both for and against the extension, and have concluded that the existing station is large enough to deal with the North London Waste Authority's (NLWA) residual waste after recycling. To grant consent for the extension would result in a station with an overall capacity capable of handling all of NLWA's municipal waste and could mean that the NLWA had little incentive to do more recycling over and above the minimum required by statute. Also should the NLWA meet or better its recycling targets then this would lead to a shortfall in the waste stream for the extended station and could lead to waste being imported from other areas which would be contrary to the Proximity Principal whereby waste should be treated as near to its origin as possible.
	I have also considered the measures the applicant has undertaken to incorporate at the Edmonton site to encourage recycling, composting and using heat for local district heating schemes. While these measures are to be welcomed I am aware that previous ones of a similar type in the site have been closed or not utilised. I am of the opinion they are not sufficient to justify granting consent to the extension. Indeed should such measures prove successful then there would appear to me to be less justification for the need for the extension.
	In refusing consent I should make it clear that the Government are not against energy-from-waste stations where they are clearly required and properly sized. The requirement of our policy is that statutory recycling targets must be met and that no incineration proposal shall be permitted which will pre-empt recycling or reduce the option for recycling for the future.
	Copies of the Press Notice and decision letters are being placed in the Library of the House.

Carlton House Terrace

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what organisations are located in Carlton House Terrace and have the rent paid by the Government.

Andrew Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no organisations in Carlton House Terrace that have rent paid by the Government.

Websites

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the budget is for the website www.ukonline.gov.uk in respect of (a) site development and maintenance, (b) marketing, (c) other and (d) in total for the financial year (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04;
	(2)  how much has been spent on the website www.ukonline.gov.uk for (a) design and build prior to launch, (b) development and maintenance since launch, (c) marketing, (d) other and (e) the project in total in each of the financial years and accumulatively to date since the inception of the project.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	ukonline.gov.uk supports the Government's aim to enable the citizen to interact electronically with government by 2005. ukonline.gov.uk will be a key driver in transforming the way in which public services are organised and delivered, and in leading the way to better integration of government services and in putting all relevant government information and services online.
	The system was originally launched as a pilot in February 2001 and re-launched in January 2002. The redesign followed extensive research and reflected best practice both within government and the private sector. The views of users were also an important consideration within the development process.
	The figures below reflect the amount spent in the financial year ending 31 March 1902. Since ukonline.gov.uk relaunched in January 2002, these figures are representative of both pre and post launch.
	(a) and (b) (combined for reasons above) £3,195,619
	(c) £633,711 has been spent on marketing since the launch of ukonline in February 2001
	(d) Usability/accessibility audit £2,320
	(e) Year ending 31 March 2001—£8,055,781
	Year ending 31 March 2002—£8,894,981
	The budget for site development and maintenance for 2002–3 is £8,358,000. the figure for 2003–04 is not available as Cabinet Office is still finalising its budget.
	In the period since the site was re-launched usage has increased by 200 per cent. The site has also been subjected to external benchmarking and was recently assessed by the Bertelsmann Foundation as the best government website in Europe.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Rio Earth Summit (Implementation)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to energy issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been.

Michael Meacher: The UK is one of the few OECD countries to have met, and gone beyond, the target agreed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 to return its emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000. It is estimated that UK emissions were more than 13 per cent. below 1990 levels in 2000.
	The UK published its climate change programme in November 2000. This sets out how the UK will deliver its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12, and move towards its domestic goal to cut CO 2 emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.
	The programme contains a substantial, integrated package of policies and measures. It will improve business use of energy, stimulate new, more efficient sources of power generation, including renewables, cut emissions from the transport sector, promote better energy efficiency in the residential sector, and ensure that the public sector takes a leading role.
	Following publication of the PIU Energy Review 14 February 2002, the Government plan to publish a White Paper later this year which, with full consultation, will consider the future of Government policy on sustainable energy.
	The Government have introduced a wide range of measures, including market incentives, financial assistance, legal obligations, and guidance and information, to promote energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy. These include:
	the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) on domestic energy supplies, from 2002 to 2005;
	the climate change levy and climate change agreements;
	the UK emissions trading scheme;
	revised building regulations which require high energy efficiency standards;
	the market transformation programme;
	a wide range of measures to support combined heat and power (CHP);
	substantial Government funding of the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust to promote and support energy efficiency in the domestic, public, industry and business sectors.

Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many projects British oil and gas companies have initiated under the Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism; what the location and nature of each project is; and what involvement the Government have had in this process.

Michael Meacher: At present there are no CDM projects as the detailed procedures to validate and register CDM projects are still under discussion by the CDM executive board, the body established at international level to operationalise the CDM.
	In the interim, the Government have established the Climate Change Projects Office (CCPO) to advise UK business of the opportunities arising from CDM and joint implementation (JI) projects. I understand from that office that many companies, including oil and gas companies, are currently exploring the possibility of undertaking pilot projects worldwide in anticipation of finalised rules and procedures.

Country Land and Business Association

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she (a) last met and (b) will next meet representatives of the Country Land and Business Association to discuss issues relating to the future viability of agriculture and the rural economy.

Alun Michael: Representatives of the Countryside Landowners and Business Association are included in a variety of meetings to help DEFRA promote the future of agriculture and the rural economy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, last met representatives of the CLA formally when she attended a reception which they hosted for Young Farmers at the Royal Cornwall Show on 15 September last year. She also attended a summer reception hosted by Anthony Bosanquet, President of the CLA on 3 July.
	All DEFRA Ministers meet CLA representatives in a variety of settings, I do on both a formal and informal basis, often several times in a week. For instance the President of the CLA is a member of the Rural Affairs Forum which meets regularly, and which I chair. He and his predecessor were members of the Rural Task Force and he has taken a leading role in the "Your Countryside, You're Welcome" campaign to boost tourism in the rural economy. On 15 May I spoke at a reception hosted jointly by the CLA, the Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the East of England Development Agency. I am meeting the President for a wide ranging discussion today (21 May).
	My officials are also in frequent contact with the CLA to discuss matters relating to agriculture and the rural economy.

Waste Composting

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the proportion of household waste which (a) could potentially be composted and (b) is composted; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of municipal waste was composted in the years (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment her Department has made of the scope for increasing composting capacity in the UK as a means of meeting EU Landfill Directive targets; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Landfill Directive, requires significant reductions in the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 75 per cent. of that produced in 1995 by 2006, 50 per cent. by 2009 and 35 per cent. by 2016 (although countries such as the UK may use, if they wish, a derogation of up to four years for meeting each of these targets). To help achieve this, "Waste Strategy 2000" set targets for recycling and composting of household waste. In 2001 the Government set statutory performance standards for each local authority in England, which require them to double the overall recycling and composting rate by 2003–04 and treble it by 2005–06 over 1998–99 levels.
	The Government strongly support composting as a way of disposing of biodegradable waste, and believes it has an important role to play. We are actively encouraging the composting of green waste at home, at municipal civic amenity sites and when separately collected by local authorities.
	Potentially, all biodegradable waste can be composted, although some may be unsuitable for animal health reasons or because non-compostable wastes are present in the mix. Also, some wastes suitable for the composting process are better reused, recycled or recovered in other ways. "Waste Strategy 2000" (Part 2) indicates that 21 per cent. of household waste may be putrescible, while some 62 per cent. in total may be biodegradable. These proportions may vary seasonally (depending on green waste for example) and according to the amount of waste separated for recycling and home composting.
	Figures from the DEFRA Municipal Waste Management Survey show there have been substantial increases in the amount of household waste collected for composting by local authorities in England and Wales—from 461,000 tonnes in 1998–99 to 670,000 tonnes in 1999–2000.
	Data on the percentage of waste composted are available for household waste only. Household waste amounts to approximately 90 per cent. of all municipal waste. The latest results taken from the Department's Municipal Waste Management Survey are as follows:
	
		Household waste composted(12) in England and Wales
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1996–97 1.2 
			 1997–98 1.6 
			 1998–99 1.9 
			 1999–2000 2.6 
		
	
	(12) Includes organic materials (kitchen and garden waste) collected for centralised composting schemes from households via kerbside schemes or taken by householders to civic amenity sites. Home composting is not included.
	Note:
	The equivalent figures for 2000–01 are not yet available.

Waste Composting

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to introduce best practice guidelines and safety regulations for the composting of household waste;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the scope for encouraging composting initiatives within the retail sector;
	(3)  what steps her Department is taking to encourage home composting of domestic waste;
	(4)  what steps her Department is taking to promote community waste composting initiatives; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what steps her Department is taking to promote composting as a central part of the UK's waste management strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Government strongly support composting as a way of treating biodegradable waste, improving soil quality and replacing non-renewable products such as peat. We are actively encouraging the composting of green waste—at home, at municipal civic amenity and community composting sites and when separately collected by local authorities. Guidance on composting, including on safety issues, is produced by the Environment Agency.
	To support composting activity, the 2000 spending review allocated £220 million Private Finance Initiative funding for waste management that can be used to deliver increased recycling/composting rates. It also established a new £140 million household waste and recycling fund to help local authorities meet their statutory performance standards for recycling and composting.
	Although animal health legislation currently prohibits the land spreading of composted kitchen/catering waste which might contain meat, we have commissioned a risk assessment to assess the risks to public, animal and plant health from such compost. In the light of that assessment, we will review the legislation.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are currently working with the Composting Association to develop the existing industry standard for compost, to achieve British Standards Institute (BSI) accreditation. The delivery of these accredited industry standards for compost will help to create markets for organic waste derived products. The creation of these new markets will be relevant to the retail sector when considering whether composting has a part to play in its waste management strategy (bearing in mind the present legal requirements).
	"Waste Strategy 2000" places composting high in the hierarchy of preferred waste management options, and set targets for England and Wales to recycle or compost at least 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005. This national target is backed up by statutory targets for each local authority in England for 2003–04 and 2005–06, and the 2000 spending review identified substantial additional resources to help deliver the statutory performance standards on recycling and composting.

Illegal Timber Imports

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what actions her Department is taking to ensure that no illegally logged timber enters the United Kingdom.

Michael Meacher: The actions that the Department and the Department for International Development are taking to combat illegal logging are:
	(a) ensuring that the import of endangered timber species is in compliance with CITES, the convention on trade in endangered species;
	(b) implementing the government timber procurement policy that seeks to procure forest products only from legal and sustainable sources;
	(c) working with a number of timber exporting countries to help them improve governance and strengthen forest law enforcement;
	(d) working to develop capacity for the implementation of timber certification schemes in some producing countries;
	(e) promoting bilateral arrangements between the UK and timber producing countries whereby countries work together to tackle illegal logging and associated trade;
	(f) showing leadership within the European Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process that will see the European Commission draft a FLEGT action plan by the end of 2002. The EU FLEGT action plan will include consideration of new EU legislative requirements to enforce the control of access to the EU market of illegally logged timber and timber products
	(g) sponsoring, among other, research that shows the negative economic impact of illegal logging for the development of certain producing countries with a view to help them manage their natural resources in a more sustainable manner.
	With regard to (e) the Governments of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Indonesia signed on 18 April 2002 a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation to improve Forest Law Enforcement and Governance and to combat illegal logging and the international trade in illegally logged timber and timber products. Copies of the Memorandum have been placed in the Library of both Houses. We are discussing the content of the memorandum with a number of both timber producing and timber consuming countries, including United States, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and Malaysia as a possible model for taking forward actions on combating illegal logging on a bilateral, regional and multilateral basis.
	With regard to (a), (c), (d) and (g), it is important to remember that combating illegal logging and associated trade requires effort from both timber producing and consuming countries. Timber producing countries are responsible for defining and enforcing the national legislative and regulatory frameworks that define legality. We are helping them to do so effectively.

Marine Environment

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what extra resources her Department will provide to meet the objectives of the Government's Marine Stewardship report.

Michael Meacher: The Marine Stewardship report contains a range of initiatives for the conservation and sustainable development of the marine environment. Sustainable development is an overarching theme for the 2002 Spending Review. The review is due to conclude in the summer.

Marine Environment

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether spatial planning of the marine environment will take account of the review of regulations affecting development in coastal waters.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 15 May 2002
	We will certainly want to take account of the findings of the review in developing the role of spatial planning for the marine environment.

Hinkley Point A

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of nuclear waste will be created as a result of Hinkley Point A power station in Somerset; and what plans she has to dispose of this waste.

Michael Meacher: While it was operational the station gave rise to intermediate and low-level wastes and spent fuel which was sent to Sellafield for reprocessing. The station is in the defuelling stage which will give rise to further spent fuel and intermediate-level wastes. In due course the station will be decommissioned and this will give rise to further intermediate and low-level waste. Intermediate-level waste is stored on the Hinkley Point A site. Low-level waste is disposed of at the Drigg facility in Cumbria.
	The Department and the devolved Administrations issued a consultation paper in September 2001 on "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" as part of a process for developing policy on the future long-term management of radioactive waste. The responses to that consultation exercise are currently being considered.

Pollution

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take to tackle diffuse pollution from (a) agricultural sources and (b) other sources.

Michael Meacher: DEFRA is currently considering how best to tackle diffuse pollution of water, caused by agriculture, transport and urban development. We are carrying out a cross-cutting review of agricultural diffuse pollution, and expect an interim outcome from this process to inform our forthcoming sustainable agriculture strategy. The review is taking an evidence-based approach to the problem assessing the nature of the problem, including the impact of major pollutants such as phosphates, nitrates and microbial contamination, learning from wider international experience. We are also considering what additional measures, such as regulation, economic instruments, voluntary measures and awareness-raising, may be required in the future to tackle both agricultural and urban diffuse pollution, in order to implement the water framework directive.

Landfill Sites

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when her Department will publish interim and final results from studies on possible health effects associated with landfill sites;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the implications for landfill sites in UK of the Eurohazcon study on landfill sites throughout Europe;
	(3)  what studies her Department is sponsoring to investigate possible health effects associated with landfill sites.

Michael Meacher: Following a European study (the first Eurohazcon study) published in 1998 that reported a 33 per cent. higher rate of non-chromosomal anomalies among people living near hazardous waste sites, the Government commissioned a programme of work on health effects of landfill sites including a much more extensive national study by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU); this was published in the summer 2001.
	The SAHSU study found that 80 per cent. of the population lives within 2 kilometres of a landfill site (operational or closed). The SAHSU study looked at the rates of all birth defects (chromosomal and non- chromosomal) and found only a slightly higher rate (1 per cent.) in populations living near landfill sites and a 7 per cent. higher rate near hazardous waste sites. The Government's expert advisory committee, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, noted that this excess risk was small and could be accounted for by factors other than the landfill sites. The study has not shown, nor indeed could it show, a causal link between landfill sites and birth defects.
	Earlier this year a second Eurohazcon study was published. The study investigated the rates of certain birth defects (chromosomal anomalies) around 23 European hazardous waste landfill sites, including 12 sites in Great Britain. It found a 41 per cent. higher rate of chromosomal anomalies close to sites (0 to 3km) compared to further away (3 to 7km).
	The major difference between the two studies is the scale. The Eurohazcon study looked at populations around 23 landfills spread right across Europe, whereas the SAHSU study looked at populations within 2km of 9,565 sites (80 per cent. of the British population) of which 774 were known to take hazardous waste. The SAHSU study was therefore much more comprehensive. As such the results are less likely to be skewed by the pattern of birth defects surrounding any individual landfill site.
	Both the SAHSU and Eurohazcon reports have recommended further work and DEFRA, the Department of Health and the Environment Agency have a considerable amount of work planned or under way. A great deal is already known about the general make-up of gases that are emitted from landfill sites. However, better information is needed on the substances present in very low concentrations in landfill emissions and the levels of exposure experienced by people living near to landfills. To obtain this information, research is currently under way to analyse over 12 months the emissions from municipal landfills. This monitoring study will provide information on which to make a more informed assessment of the likelihood of landfill sites posing a risk to health. The work will be completed next summer and published as soon as possible thereafter.
	This Department hosted a seminar on 15 May 2002 to consider where there are gaps in the research on health impacts of all waste management options and to help prioritise future research. There are no risk-free options but conducting such research will allow local authorities and others to make more informed choices about the range, type and location of facility they wish to operate.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (habitat) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Habitats Committee is established by Article 20 of the EC Habitats Directive (92/43/EC) to assist the European Commission in measures to implement the directive.
	Two meetings of the Habitats Committee have taken place in the last twelve months. UK representation usually consists of an official from my Department and a scientific adviser from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Officials from the devolved Administrations have also occasionally attended in the past.
	The items currently under consideration by the committee are:
	adoption and protection of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs);
	selection of projects to be funded under LIFE (Nature), Council Regulation 1655/2000;
	needs and opportunities for co-funding of site management measures (article 8);
	species protection measures (article 12);
	monitoring of conservation status;
	raising awareness of the Natura 2000 network;
	application of the directive in the marine zone, including the directive's extension by member states beyond their territorial waters;
	forestry;
	implications of enlargement, including discussions with candidate countries on proposed modification of the annexes of the directive in light of future enlargement of EU, and the participation of accession countries in the Committee.
	The European Commission meets the travel and subsistence costs of one UK representative at each Habitats Committee meeting. However, it would be of disproportionate cost to identify the cost to public funds of the Habitats Committee's work, as in addition to travel costs of any further UK representatives, this includes the cost of policy, scientific and practical conservation work undertaken by my Department, the devolved Administrations and the statutory conservation agencies, contributing to the UK's implementation of the EC habitats directive.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on conservation of wild birds (ORNIS) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The ORNIS Committee assists the European Commission in an advisory capacity on a wide range of issues concerning implementation of the EC Wild Birds Directive and has a regulatory role under article 16 of the Directive considering adaptations of the Annexes to the Directive.
	One meeting of the ORNIS Committee has taken place in the last twelve months, on 15 June 2001. UK representation usually consists of an official from my Department and a scientific adviser from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Officials from the devolved administrations have also occasionally attended in the past.
	The European Commission meets the travel and subsistence costs of one UK representative at each ORNIS Committee meeting but, in addition to travel costs of any further UK representatives, the cost to public funds of the Committee's work includes policy, scientific and practical conservation work undertaken by my Department, the devolved administrations and the statutory conservation agencies, contributing to the UK's implementation of the EC Wild Birds Directive. It would therefore be of disproportionate cost to try to separately identify the cost to public funds of the ORNIS Committee's work.
	Recent issues which have been considered by the Committee include:
	definition and overview of pre-nuptial and reproduction periods of huntable species
	progress and perspective for classification of Special Protection Areas
	progress in discussions with candidate countries on proposed modification of the Annexes of the Directive in light of future enlargement of EU
	sustainable hunting initiative
	action plans for endangered species listed in Annex I of the Directive
	list of bird species covered by Article 1 of the directive
	use of lead shot.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: This committee, established by article 21 of the Directive, has never met. Therefore the question of UK representation has not been addressed, no items are under consideration and it has not drawn on public funds. The role of the Committee, when it meets, will be to assist the Commission, mainly with technical matters relating to the Directive.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Directive on the incineration of hazardous waste is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Article 15 of Directive 94/67/EC on the incineration of hazardous waste provides for a committee to assist the European Commission with the adaptation to technical progress of the provisions of Article 10 to 12 and Annexes I to III of that Directive. There have been no meetings of this committee in the last 12 months and there are no items currently under its consideration.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Article 19 of Directive 96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control ("IPPC") provides for a committee to assist with the establishment and maintenance by the European Commission of an inventory of the principal emissions and sources responsible from among the member states' industrial installations covered by that Directive.
	The Committee is currently considering the technical requirements for the establishment of the inventory, which will be known as the European Pollutant Emissions Register ("EPER"). It has met once in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by one official from my Department, assisted by another from the Environment Agency. Travel costs for the official are met by the European Commission. Subsistence costs amount to about £100 per meeting. Work in preparation for the meetings forms part of the general work of the Department on IPPC and cannot readily be separated and costed.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on procedures for the surveillance and monitoring of environments concerned by waste from the titanium dioxide industry is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The role of the Committee is to decide on amendments to parameters listed in the annexes to the Directive. There have been no meetings of the Committee over the last 12 months. The UK would usually be represented by an official from my Department. The annual cost of the work includes the time taken to prepare for and attend meetings and the travel and subsistence costs incurred. Specific information is not available without incurring disproportionate cost. There are no matters currently under consideration.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress and the implementation of the Directive on the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The role of the Committee is to decide on amendments to technical measures described in the annexes to the Directive. There have been no meetings of the Committee over the last 12 months. The UK would usually be represented by an official from my Department. The annual cost of the work includes the time taken to prepare for and attend meetings and the travel and subsistence costs incurred. Specific information is not available without incurring disproportionate cost. There are no matters currently under consideration.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress and implementation of the directive on urban waste-water treatment is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The mandate of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive Regulatory Committee is to assist the European Commission's work relating to implementation of the directive and to its adaptation to technical progress.
	The Committee has generally met once a year with the last meeting held on 20 February 2001.
	Four representatives are permitted from each member state. DEFRA is the lead Department for the United Kingdom with devolved authority representatives involved as appropriate. DEFRA will field two officials and the Scottish Executive one official for the next meeting. The Commission pays for one representative to attend from each member state. Additional experts from the UK cost between £300 and £400 per representative per meeting.
	Items for discussion at the next meeting, to be held on 3 June next month, will include: progress with the provision of information for the third Commission report on member state progress with implementation of the directive; discussion of the second such report published in November 2001; discussion of provision of required treatment standards for small to medium-sized sewage works by the directive deadline of 2005; discussion of infringement procedures being taken against member states and guidelines for extensive treatment systems.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the directive on methods of measurement of sampling and analysis of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the member states is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: This Committee has not met over the last 12 months. The question of current UK representation has not been addressed, no items are under consideration and it has not drawn on public funds. The role of the Committee, if it should meet, is set out in Article 9 of the directive. Its purpose is to take account in particular of alterations in the levels of the parameters specified in the directive.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the decision establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community is; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: This Committee has not met for more than five years. Therefore the question of current UK representation has not been addressed, no items are under consideration and it has not drawn on public funds in the last five years. The role of the Committee, if it should meet, is set out in Article 8 of the decision (Council decision 77/795/EEC, OJ L334, 24.12.1977, p29). It is to give its opinion on any measures proposed by the Commission which are necessary to adapt the decision's provisions to technical progress.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee on application of the directive on the standardisation and rationalisation of reports on the implementation of certain directives relating to the environment is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: This Committee has not met for more than five years. Therefore the question of current UK representation has not been addressed, no items are under consideration and it has not drawn on public funds in the last five years. The role of the Committee, if it should meet, is set out in Article 6 of the Council directive 91/692/EEC (OJ L 377, 31.12.1991, p 48). It is to give its opinion on any measures proposed by the Commission which are necessary to adapt the directive's provisions to technical or scientific progress.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the implementation of the directive on the limitation of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The role of the Advisory Committee is to assist the Commission with matters on which it is required to take a decision under the provisions of the directive such as reviewing the progress of member states and on the format of reports. There was one meeting of the committee over the last 12 months at which the UK was represented by an official from my Department. That meeting considered the format of reports required under the directive; there are no matters currently under consideration. The annual cost of the work includes the time taken to prepare for and attend meetings and the travel and subsistence costs incurred. Specific information is not available without incurring disproportionate cost.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee for the control and production of substances that deplete the ozone layer (SAO) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Management Committee was established under Article 18 of EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The regulation that enforces the European Union's obligations under the Montreal Protocol. The committee's mandate is to assist the European Commission with implementation of the various controls in the regulation. It was established by Council Decision 1999/468/EC.
	The committee has met twice in the last 12 months. The UK is usually represented by two officials from my Department and one from the Department of Trade and Industry, although officials from other Government Departments and agencies, including the Ministry of Defence and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, have also attended meetings when items pertinent to their responsibilities were under discussion. The costs incurred by my Department in contributing to the committee's work are largely travel and subsistence costs of about £930 per meeting, incurred in attending the two-day meetings in Brussels, and staff costs of about £480 per meeting. In addition to the time spent at the meetings themselves, officials spend a similar amount of time preparing for and reporting back on the meetings.
	Items due to be considered by the committee at its next meeting include proposed changes to the critical uses of halon listed in annexe VII of the regulation, a mechanism for setting import quotas of HCFCs from 1 January 2003, and information on critical use procedures for methyl bromide.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Scientific Review Group was set up under the terms of Article 17 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 to examine scientific questions relating to the application of these regulations. These questions may be raised by the chairman, either on his own initiative or at the request of the members of the group, or by members of the Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora. It is composed of representatives from each member state and the UK is represented on the committee by scientific advisers from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (fauna) and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (flora).
	The group has met three times over the last 12 months. The annual cost of its work is relatively small, although detailed figures cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs. The items currently under consideration by the committee include:
	Application of Articles 4.1(a)(i) and 4.2(a) of the Regulation—opinions of the SRG on:
	procedure for making and transmitting SRG opinions
	imports form Madagascar
	"Psittacus erithacus"/Nigeria
	replies to consultations with third countries on "Phelsuma comorensis"
	review of annexe B animals subject to import restrictions
	"Amazona aestiva"/Argentina
	"Geochelone carbonaria"/Suriname
	Export quotas 2002
	Private husbandry or reptiles
	Coral mariculture and fossil corals
	18th meeting of the CITES Animals Committee
	12th meeting of the CITES Plants Committee
	Preparations for the 12th Conference of CITES Parties
	Mortality in transport
	Negative effects of captive breeding/artificial propagation operations.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Scientific review group for the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora was set up under the terms of Article 18 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 338–97 to assist the Commission in carrying out the functions set out at Article 19 of the Regulation, relating to the implementation within the Community of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is composed of representatives from each member state and the UK is represented on the Committee by DEFRA officials.
	The Committee has met three times over the last 12 months. The annual cost of its work is relatively small, although detailed figures cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs. The items currently under consideration by the Committee include:
	Preparations for the 12th Conference of CITES Parties
	Imports of mahogany from Brazil
	Treatment of vagrant species listed in the European Birds directive
	Regulation of trade in primates, rhinos, tigers and bears and parts or derivatives thereof
	Status and transmission of SRG opinions
	Treatment of ecological threat species
	Marking of specimens in trade
	Use of transponders
	Import of hunting trophies
	Annual and biennial reports
	Outcome of CITES Committee meetings
	Imports of reptiles from Madagascar.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Group of experts appointed by the Euratom Scientific and Technical Committee to address basic standards (Article 31) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	This expert Group is mandated directly by article 31 of the Euratom treaty. Three experts in radiation protection matters attend from the UK. The Group has met twice in the last 12 months. It is not possible to calculate the cost to public funds of the work of the committee without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The task of the Group is to advise the Commission on the basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiations. Experts are appointed in a personal capacity and therefore do not serve a representative function.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Euratom Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (CST) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Euratom Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee is mandated directly by article 134 of the Euratom Treaty. Five scientific experts attend from the UK. Meetings are held two or three times a year. It is not possible to calculate the cost to public funds of the work of the Committee without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The main task of the Committee is to advise the Commission on the nuclear component of the Community's work, in particular the fission and fusion content of its ongoing research programmes. Experts on the Committee are appointed in a personal capacity and therefore do not serve a representative function. The Treaty specifically states that they are not to be bound by mandatory instructions.

Farm Films Recovery Scheme

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assistance her Department gives to support recycling of used silage films;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the Farm Films Recovery Scheme.

Michael Meacher: The Farm Film Producers Group operated on a voluntary basis between 1994 and 1997 to collect farm plastics for recycling. A small number of voluntary local collection schemes still exist.
	We will be addressing the question of how to deal with waste non-packaging farm plastics in the forthcoming consultation document on the application of the Waste Framework Directive to agricultural waste. We will consider whether a statutory scheme should be introduced in the light of responses to this consultation exercise.

Village Pub Diversification

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many requests have been made for information on village pub diversification, broken down by region.

Alun Michael: The "Pub is the Hub" good practice guide is issued by Business in the Community, the British Beer and Pub Association and the Countryside Agency. There are no central records held on requests for information on village pub diversification.
	The Countryside Agency has funded eight projects located in public houses in the past year through their Community Services Grant. These are broken down by region as follows:
	
		
			  Region  
		
		
			 North East 0 
			 North West 0 
			 Yorkshire & Humber 1 
			 East Midlands 1 
			 West Midlands 0 
			 Eastern 2 
			 South East 4 
			 South West 0

Rural Funding

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on (a) parish plans, (b) community service grants and (c) parish transport grants, broken down by initiative, in 2001–02.

Alun Michael: The total outturn for expenditure on the Countryside Agency's Vital Villages Grant schemes until 31 March 2002 is: (a) Parish Plans Fund £399,000; (b) Community Services Grant £1.7 million; and (c) Parish Transport Fund £354,000.

Endangered Species

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the review of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 will be completed.

Michael Meacher: The review will be conducted in accordance with standard Cabinet Office guidelines for such reviews. This will involve discussions within Government (which are already under way), a pre- consultation process with the main stakeholder organisations, and a full formal public consultation exercise (which normally takes three months, to allow sufficient time for a considered response). How long the review will take will depend on the outcome of those consultations.

Bali Pre-conference

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) first class, (b) club class and (c) economy tickets have been booked for (i) Ministers, (ii) officials and (iii) special advisers attending the WSD conference in Bali.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 20 May 2002
	One Minister, two officials and one special adviser have booked first class tickets. Thirty officials have booked club class tickets.

Bali Pre-conference

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's budget is for the Bali pre-conference.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The Department's budget for the Bali preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development is approximately £86,000.

Bali Pre-conference

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget is for the UK delegation to the Bali pre-conference.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The total budget for the UK Delegation for the fourth preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Bali will be approximately £180,000. This comprises air fares, hotel rooms, subsistence and office accommodation.

Bali Pre-conference

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people will accompany her at public expense on her forthcoming trip to Bali; and what the total cost of the visit will be.

Michael Meacher: There will be 28 people accompanying the Secretary of State during her forthcoming trip to Bali for the fourth preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. This will include representatives from DEFRA, DFID, DTI, FCO and the Cabinet Office; the total cost of the visit will be approximately £180,000. This comprises air fares, hotel rooms, subsistence and office accommodation.

Sustainable Development

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government will publish their response to the Environmental Audit Committee's First report of Session 2001–02, Departmental Responsibilities for Sustainable Development.

Margaret Beckett: I am pleased to announce that I have today, laid copies of the Government's response to the Environment Audit Committee's first report of the 2001–02 session, Departmental Responsibilities for Sustainable Development, in the Library of the House.
	The Government's response sets out progress on sustainable development following the general election in 2001. We strongly believe that the creation of DEFRA has produced a department which is better equipped to champion sustainable development and ensure that sustainable development continues to be a priority for the Government.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Maladministration

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many findings there have been of maladministration by ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of his Department since 1997.

Alan Whitehead: Information on the handling of complaints is set out in tabular form by the Parliamentary Ombudsman each year as an attachment to his Annual Report. For those complaints where there was evidence of maladministration which warranted a full investigation, the table sets out how many complaints were upheld as being fully or partially justified. Copies of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Reports for the period 1997–98 to 2000–01 inclusive can be viewed in the House Library, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at "www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications"

Parish Councillors (Data Protection)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the Register of Parish Councillors' interests are covered by the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Alan Whitehead: The provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 apply to the maintenance of the register of parish councillors' interests, subject to the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, including the requirement that the register should be made available for inspection by members of the public.

Statutory Law Enforcement Agencies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what statutory law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities there are within the responsibility of his Department; and what complaints procedure is available for each.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 16 May 2002
	The following divisions of the Department, its agencies, or bodies for which the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is accountable to Parliament, may act as prosecuting authorities in relation to the matters for which they have responsibility:
	British Transport Police
	Civil Aviation Authority
	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
	Health and Safety Executive
	Maritime and Coastguard Agency
	Radioactive Materials Transport Division
	Transport Security Division
	Vehicle Certification Agency
	Vehicle Inspectorate.
	All of the authorities listed have procedures in place for the handling of complaints. Complaints about any of these authorities may, in the first instance, be directed to the authority in question.
	Additionally, all of the authorities listed are within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, with the exception of the British Transport Police. Complaints against the British Transport Police may be referred to the Police Complaints Authority.
	Local authorities are also within the responsibility of the Department and operate their own complaints procedures. Complaints against local authorities can also be made in appropriate circumstances to the Local Government Ombudsman; in addition complaints against Councillors can be made to the Standards Board for England.

Train Protection and Warning System

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated cost is of the implementation of the new train protection warning system on Scotland's rail network; and what percentage this cost represents of the total costs of the implementation of the Strategic Rail Authority's plan in Scotland.

David Jamieson: Information provided by Railtrack indicates the estimated cost of installing the train protection and warning system on Scotland's rail network is in the region of £50 million. The Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan does not allocate costs by region.

Housing Repairs

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the backlog of disrepair of (a) local authority, (b) RSL, (c) private rented and (d) owner occupied housing in (i) Greater London and (ii) Enfield.

Sally Keeble: Through the 2001 Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix, London authorities have reported the following numbers of unfit dwellings on 1 April 2001:
	
		
			 All London Total stock Unfit dwellings 
		
		
			 Local authority 526,739 29,490 
			 RSL 284,240 9,038 
			 Other public sector 13,917 870 
			 Owner occupied 1,741,428 95,602 
			 Other private sector 560,034 84,769 
		
	
	Enfield have not given a full breakdown of their unfit stock, but the figures available are as follows:
	
		
			 Enfield Total stock Unfit dwellings 
		
		
			 Local authority 13,183 166 
			 RSL 5,778 - 
			 Other public sector 521 - 
			 Total private sector 94,619 4,506 
		
	
	We do not have up to date information on expenditure required across tenures in London and Enfield. All London local authorities say they need to spend £5,380 million on capital investment at 1 April 2001 on their own stock. Enfield estimates that its current backlog of repairs on its own stock is about £50 million, of which about £8 million is required to bring its housing up to the Decent Homes standard. (All figures are from the 2001 Business Plan Statistical Appendix).
	All local authorities are working towards providing numbers of non-decent homes within their own stock in July in their 2002 Housing Revenue Account Business Plans.

Commercial Aircraft

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the criteria are for determining the lowest permissible altitude of commercial aircraft operations around international airports; and which authority is responsible for them.

David Jamieson: Provisions relating to the lowest height at which aircraft may fly are contained in the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996 (Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 1393). These are made under the Air Navigation Order and reflect internationally agreed safety standards and recommended practices. The Rules apply to all flights.
	Rule 5 of the Rules of the Air Regulations is the low flying rule, and aircraft flying under Instrument Flight Rules must also comply with Rule 29 (minimum height).
	The responsible authority for the rules of the air is the Civil Aviation Authority, the Government's safety regulator.
	In addition some airports apply their own local restrictions within the immediate vicinity of the airport (normally within the local traffic circuit) for noise abatement purposes. These restrictions require aircraft to fly at heights greater than those specified in the low flying rules.

Unpaid Advisers

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 85W, what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of unpaid advisers who have assisted the work of his Department since June 1997 but are not included in the Cabinet Office's annual report "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews 2000–01".

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 21 May 2002
	As my answer of 10 April made clear, Ministers in this Department have not appointed any unpaid advisers other than those accounted for in the list of Task Forces, Reviews and other ad hoc Advisory Groups.

"The New Humber Pilotage Service"

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions from which sources his Department derived its information in preparing the document "The New Humber Pilotage Service".

David Jamieson: The sources are given in the document.

Potters Bar Derailment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to publish the report from the formal investigation into the Potters Bar rail derailment by the Health and Safety Executive.

Alan Whitehead: The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) will publish their formal report once the British Transport Police (BTP) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have completed their investigations.
	Safety lessons learnt from the BTP/HSE investigations will be transmitted without delay to industry dutyholders.

Fire Service

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the major orders (a) won and (b) lost this year by the Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh; what arrangements he is making for consultation on proposed changes to the Framework Document; and what the timescale is.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 341W.

Fire Service

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent research the Government have commissioned under the Pathfinder studies into fire brigades; what the conclusions were; and what action the Government proposes to take to meet the recommendations.

Alan Whitehead: Some 50 separate studies have been commissioned the Fire Cover Task Group of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council (CFBAC). The scope of the studies is too wide to summarise here. However, copies of the reports of all (48) currently completed studies can be found on my Department's website at "http://www.safety.dtlr.gov.uk/fire/fepd/fcr/fcrhome.htm".
	It is the responsibility of the Task Group to make recommendations to the CFBAC on the research they have commissioned and the overall outcome of the Pathfinder trials. Their report is expected in the late summer.
	When this is available it will be considered initially by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council, following which I expect to consult widely, since I expect the review to provide the fundamental basis of planning delivery of service by fire brigades in the future.

Fire Service

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what investigations he has commissioned in the current year into aspects of the (a) financial and (b) other forms of management of the Fire Service College, Moreton- in-Marsh; and what consequent reports he has received.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 May 2002, Official Report, columns 341-42W.

Regional Airports

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to support and facilitate the expansion of regional airports.

David Jamieson: A New Deal for Transport (1998) said that the Government would
	"encourage the growth of regional airports to meet local demand for air travel where consistent with sustainable development principles" in order to
	"maximise the contribution they make to national and regional economies; relieve pressure on congested airports in the south east of England; and reduce the need for long surface journeys (particularly by road) to south east airports."
	Before the summer recess, we aim to publish a series of regional consultation documents on airports and air services that will set out alternative options for how these aims might be achieved. Responses to the consultation will be used to inform the publication of an air transport White Paper, planned for late this year.

Tourism

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what importance he attaches to the needs of tourism in his plans to improve England's road network.

David Jamieson: Individual road improvement schemes are subject to the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA), introduced in 1998. NATA takes account of the expected impact of a proposed scheme on the environment, safety, the economy, accessibility and integration. The assessment includes an appraisal of the extent to which a proposed scheme may help the regeneration of an area. The time savings and reductions in vehicle operating costs for tourists (including coaches) are included in the overall appraisal of the benefits of a proposed road scheme.

Rural Population

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2002, Official Report, column 798W, on the rural population, if he will estimate (a) the number of population increase and (b) the number of households projected in (i) deep rural and (ii) mixed rural areas by 2016.

Sally Keeble: The latest sub-national population projections for England to 2016 are the 1996-based projections prepared by the Office for National Statistics. Between 1996 and 2016 the population in those local authorities categorised by my Department as "deep rural" is projected to rise by 0.26 million and the number of households by 0.21 million. Over the same period, the population in those local authorities categorised by my Department as "mixed rural" is projected to rise by 0.77 million and the number of households by 0.67 million.

Starter Home Initiative

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2002, Official Report, column 799W, on the starter home initiative, how many key workers will receive financial support in small rural settlements with a population of (a) 3000 or less, (b) 3001–5000 and (c) 5001–10,000.

Sally Keeble: Information is not available in the form requested.
	Starter home initiative funding has been allocated to schemes which propose to help around 360 key workers in rural settlements with a population of 10,000 or less. This is a correction to the answers I gave on 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 278W and 16 May 2002, Official Report, column 799W.

PFI Housing Schemes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what advice he provides to local authorities on developing their outline business case for submission in bidding rounds for PFI housing schemes.

Sally Keeble: The Department offers advice to local authorities at each stage of the housing private finance initiative (PFI) process. At the bidding stage the Department sends a letter to all authorities inviting them to submit expressions of interest. That letter is accompanied by guidance on issues to cover in submissions. The guidance is available on the Department's housing website.
	Following the expression of interest stage, the Department assesses the bids. The successful authorities are invited to develop their outline business case (OBC), and my officials offer advice to authorities on an individual basis during this stage. In addition, guidance is available from the Public Private Partnerships Programme (the 4Ps), with whom the Department is working closely in developing PFI for social housing. The OBC has to be endorsed by the inter-departmental Project Review Group (PRG) which is chaired by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) who also provide general guidance on PFI procurement.

PFI Housing Schemes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria are used by the inter-departmental Project Review Group in assessing bids from local authorities for PFI housing schemes.

Sally Keeble: The assessment of bids for private finance initiative (PFI) housing schemes is carried out by my Department, with the help of the Government Offices for the Regions. In our recent bidding round schemes were assessed on the following criteria:
	value for money and whether an options appraisal had been carried out;
	evidence of housing demand and fitting in with the council's wider strategy;
	risk transfer;
	stakeholder and council consultation;
	meeting the general PFI criteria (e.g. innovation, sustainability and design quality);
	management and timetable.
	In order for a scheme to proceed, it also has to be endorsed at a later stage by the Project Review Group (PRG), who ensure that the projects which local authorities take into procurement are deliverable. PRG's assessment of all PFI schemes is based on the following criteria:
	affordability;
	output specification;
	bankability of the scheme;
	key terms and conditions;
	use of appropriate comparators;
	suitability of proposed advisers;
	indicative timetable;
	project team;
	commitment of the sponsors;
	statutory process.

Construction Industry

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what further self-certification schemes are being planned for the construction industry; and whether they will be subject to public consultation.

Alan Whitehead: A number of organisations have contacted my Department with proposals for self- certification schemes. Each of these schemes will be reviewed on their merits. As there have been two public consultations on self-certification, we do not intend to issue a further public consultation before recognising schemes for work already controlled by the Building Regulations. Individual trade and professional bodies may undertake some consultation, depending on the nature of the schemes they are developing.
	The hon. Member may wish to note that my Department issued a consultation document on 20 May entitled "Proposals for new safety requirements for electrical installation work in dwellings", which makes reference to self-certification by competent persons as a means of alleviating some of the financial and administrative burdens the proposed extension of the Building Regulations might create.

Millennium Dome

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost of maintaining the Millennium Dome, including security costs, has been (a) since its closure and (b) in each of the last three months for which figures are available.

Sally Keeble: Since 31 December 2000, when the Millennium Experience ended, the cost of management, maintenance and security of the Dome has been £3.9 million, of which £1.9 million was incurred by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and £2 million by English Partnerships (EP). This includes the final figures for expenditure in December 2001, January and February 2002, which are £266,000, £251,000 and £287,000 respectively. However, the January and February figures exclude telecommunications costs, which await final confirmation due to on-going delays by the service provider particularly in transferring accounts formerly held by NMEC to EP.
	Costs incurred by NMEC have been paid from the grant already approved by the Millennium Commission. EP costs are from their normal budget and will be recovered from eventual sale proceeds.

English Regions

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if it is his policy that regional tourist boards should remain independent of regional assemblies created under proposals outlined in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions.

Nick Raynsford: Regional tourist boards will remain separate bodies from elected regional assemblies, but the assemblies will allocate funding from their block grants for the regional tourist boards and will provide direction on how this should be used.

Groundwork

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress in establishing a Lancashire-wide groundwork.

Sally Keeble: The Department is currently considering the proposal from Groundwork for a Lancashire-wide trust. A final decision is yet to be taken.

Mobile Phones

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to commission research into the dangers posed by the use of hands-free mobile phones while driving.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 362W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Janet Anderson).

In-flight Air Quality

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to meet the airlines to discuss the quality of cabin air in domestic and international flights.

David Jamieson: The issue of cabin air quality was comprehensively addressed by the House of Lords inquiry into air travel and health. Since publication of the House of Lords findings, discussions between Government and the airline industry have been pursued through meetings of the Aviation Health Working Group. The Aviation Health Working Group was established to advise Ministers on all issues relating to aviation health.
	Permanent members of the group are the Department for Transport Local Government and the Regions (chair), the Department of Health, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive. Representatives from the airlines, as well as consumer groups and other interested parties such as medical specialists, are regularly invited to participate in selected meetings. At present we have no plans to meet airlines to discuss the quality of cabin air in domestic and international flights, but European Union funded research into cabin air quality is currently under way and my Department will continue to monitor this work closely.

Road Safety

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 520W, on road works injuries, what safety guidelines are issued to contractors working on the road; and what plans the Government have to introduce further safety measures for contractors working on the roads.

Alan Whitehead: Following is a list of documents which provide safety guidelines for contractors working on the road:
	The Traffic Signs Manual, chapter 8 on Traffic Safety Measures and Signs for Road Works and Temporary Situations 1991 (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
	Planning for Safety—Guidance notes for the health and safety of workers at in-service motorway roadwork sites (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
	The Mobile Lane Closure Technique—TD49/97 (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
	Notes for Guidance on Safety at Roadwork—County Surveyors Society and Department Transport (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
	Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice (Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
	Crossing high-speed roads on foot during temporary traffic- management works—CIS 53 (Health and safety Executive).
	The Highways Agency established a steering group last year, consisting of representatives from public bodies and from across industry to look at safe practice in temporary traffic management operations on high speed roads. It has prepared an action plan consisting of short, medium and long term aims and is reviewing current guidance and practice.

Rail Safety

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned into the prevention of rail failures and accidents.

David Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive and the Office of the Rail Regulator jointly funded research into the causation and treatment of gauge corner cracking by Arup and Partners International Ltd., and the Transportation Technology Centre Incorporated. Additional research is currently planned into track integrity and the effect on rolling stock.

Rail Safety

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what alterations were made to Railtrack plc's safety case following the appointment of an administrator.

Stephen Byers: On 8 October 2001, following Railtrack plc's entry into railway administration and consequent changes to the organisation, the HSE directed Railtrack plc to prepare and submit a revision to its safety case. Railtrack plc complied with the direction and HSE accepted this revised safety case, covering minor administrative and organisational changes, on 14 November 2001.
	In compliance with the requirements of the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 2000, Railtrack plc submitted a new thoroughly revised safety case to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 28 June 2001. The HSE process of assessment was completed and the safety case was accepted on 1 May 2002.

Rail Safety

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received over the past six months about the condition of the railway track between Colchester and London Liverpool Street from (a) Railtrack, (b) train operating companies, (c) rail unions and (d) others; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: None.

Terrorist Activity (Railways)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many incidents of (a) terrorist activity and (b) suspected terrorist activity have been recorded by (i) the British Transport Police and (ii) other organisations relating to the railways in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: holding answer 22 May 2002
	After consultation with the British Transport Police, I can confirm that since 1997 the following numbers of incidents have been recorded in relation to security of the UK's rail network:
	1997: 562 threats, three viable devices or explosions, 33 hoax bomb items
	1998: 280 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 30 hoax bomb items
	1999: 323 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 20 hoax bomb items
	2000: 253 threats, two viable devices or explosions, 10 hoax bomb items
	2001: 347 threats, three viable devices or explosions, 18 hoax bomb items (plus 94 hoax biological items, eg white powder)
	2002: 58 threats, 0 viable devices or explosions, 9 hoax bomb items.
	In this instance "threat" means the number of times that railway infrastructure has specifically been indicated as a possible target in each given year, and "hoax bomb items" constitutes the number of items that have deliberately been assembled to resemble an explosive device.

Railway Vandalism

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to combat acts of vandalism on railway lines; and if he will make a statement on the implementation of anti-vandalism programmes on the railways.

David Jamieson: holding answer 22 May 2002
	The problem of vandalism on the railways is taken very seriously by the Government, the Health and Safety Executive, Railtrack, the British Transport police and the railway industry.
	Current initiatives to reduce vandalism on the rail network include:
	"Leave Sites Safe and Secure"—a Railtrack campaign to clear lineside debris which could be used in acts of vandalism. The overall aim of the campaign is to remove or safely secure all lineside materials by October 2002. The railway industry is working closely with HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) to achieve this objective;
	"National Route Crime Week" 17–25 June sponsored by the National Co-ordinating Group for Trespass and Vandalism (an SRA/Railway Safety body). There will be a number of activities including an open debate at the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) Rail Industry Advisory Committee meeting on 25 June;
	Industry programmes for reducing vandalism, including a range of targeted engineering measures such as improved railway fencing and caging bridges at vulnerable locations. HMRI monitor these programmes and take action if necessary.

Railway Vandalism

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) incidents of and (b) prosecutions there were for (i) vandalism, (ii) informed vandalism and (iii) trespass on rail lines in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: holding answer 22 May 2002
	Information held by the British Transport police on reported vandalism offences (there is no defined difference between informed and non-informed vandalism) in each of the last five years is contained in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of offences 
		
		
			 1997–98 13,751 
			 1998–99 12,855 
			 1999–2000 13,743 
			 2000–01 13,349 
			 2001–02 15,075 
		
	
	Information held by the British Transport police on adults/juveniles charged or summonsed to court for vandalism from 1998–99 onwards is contained in the following table (due to archiving issues the BTP are unable to supply data prior to this data):
	
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 1998–99 2,262 
			 1999–2000 1,928 
			 2000–01 1,963 
			 2001–02 2,200 
		
	
	Note:
	Those persons charged or summonsed to court may or may not have been convicted and the data do not include cautions.
	Information held by the British Transport police on reported trespass offences in each of the last five years is contained in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of reported trespass offences 
		
		
			 1997–98 17,451 
			 1998–99 16,535 
			 1999–2000 13,896 
			 2000–01 14,964 
			 2001–02 15,395 
		
	
	Information held by the British Transport police on adults/juveniles charged or summonsed to court for trespassing from 1998–99 onwards is contained in the following table (due to archiving issues the BTP are unable to supply data prior to this data):
	
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,170 
			 1999–2000 973 
			 2000–01 1,215 
			 2001–02 903 
		
	
	Note:
	Those persons charged or summonsed to court may or may not have been convicted and the data do not include cautions.

Mass Decontamination

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those groups and individuals from which he has taken advice in preparing the UK's strategy for mass decontamination in the event of (a) chemical and (b) biological attack.

John Hutton: In preparing the United Kingdom's response, advice has been taken from the following sources:
	Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR)
	Ambulance Services Association
	Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
	The nuclear industry, including Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group, National Radiological Protection Board, and Atomic Weapons Establishment
	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Environment Agency
	Civil Contingency Secretariat
	Health and Safety Executive
	Defence and Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Centre
	London Resilience Committee
	Association of Chief Police Officers
	Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers' Association
	Local Government Association.
	The Department of Health and DTLR continue to research the approaches of other countries, including Japan and the United States of America.

WALES

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe) on 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 446W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions between 31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Paul Murphy: Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002, a departmental special adviser accompanied me to Brussels on one occasion. It is not practicable separately to identify the cost of this visit, but the journey was judged to comply with the Civil Service Code.

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many days of sick leave were taken in his Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to his Department.

Paul Murphy: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The number of days of sick leave taken in my Department last year was 232 days. This averages to 6.1 days per staff year. Sickness records are not broken down by (a) stress (other than work-related) or (b) other mental health.
	The civil service is committed to reducing sickness absence by 20 per cent. by 2010 (to 8.3 days per staff year). Wales Office average of sick leave for last year is already below this target.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Visitor Tours

Marion Roe: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what further consideration the Commission has given to visitor tours.

Archy Kirkwood: Hon. Members were informed on 19 March of the Commission's wish to improve the arrangements to provide high quality tours for constituents and other visitors to the Palace, and its view that there should be a single official tours organisation supporting both the permanent Summer Opening and tours at other times. The Commission felt that this was an important part of its strategic aim to increase public understanding and knowledge of the House and its work.
	At its meeting on 20 May the Commission considered the advice of the Administration Committee and the Board of Management on the way forward. We also took into account the views of a number of right hon. and hon. Members, their staff and staff of the House who have helpfully contributed to the process.
	The House of Lords has an equal interest in visitor tours. We have sought the views of the authorities of that House on the improvements we would like to see, and will be working closely with them on the details.
	We think it is important that Members should have the same freedom and flexibility to arrange tours for their constituents as is now the case, but we believe that there is scope for improvement. We decided that:
	for the convenience of Members and their staff, the tours office should be a "one-stop shop", making bookings, issuing permits and allocating guides, and that funds should be provided for this in the current financial year. We thought that the separate, well-understood system for allocating Gallery tickets should remain unchanged, and that the separately organised Summer Opening primarily for tourists should not be affected;
	informal visits of six people or fewer accompanied by Members, Peers, or Officers of either House, or four people accompanied by other permanent passholders, should continue as at present. The ability of Members, their staff, and staff of the House to guide their own larger parties should they wish would be unaffected;
	in the interests of fairness, unguided and unaccompanied visits should be discontinued;
	guides should be drawn primarily from staff of the House, who have given excellent service over a number of years; and that staff from all House Departments should be given the opportunity to contribute. We supported the idea of a guiding qualification that would help maintain high standards and encourage House staff to take part;
	tours should emphasise the role and work of the House just as much as the history and the heritage of the building.
	We thought that the new arrangements should begin to operate from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, although some aspects (for example the guiding qualification) will need to be phased in over a longer period of time. We were also conscious of the restrictions that possible changes in sitting times of this House might impose on access. In order not to reduce the total number of visitors who are able to come to the House, Saturday opening may be an option.
	We had well in mind the need to ensure that the costs to visitors are kept as low as possible, especially in the interests of groups such as school parties and old age pensioners. We have asked the Finance and Services Committee to look at possible cost structures and to report to us for our next meeting. We have also asked the Board of Management now to develop a detailed implementation plan.
	The views of Members, their staff and staff of the House will be a welcome contribution to the development of the new arrangements. They should be sent to the Serjeant at Arms as the member of the Board of Management responsible for this project.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC Wales

Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the basis was for the reference in her advertisement for the post of National Governor (Wales) of the BBC to a substantial proportion of the output of BBC Wales being in Welsh.

Kim Howells: BBC Wales provides S4C with 10 hours per week of Welsh language programming, as part of its commitment under the 1996 Broadcasting Act. It also produces 18 hours a day of radio in Welsh on Radio Cymru and provides an extensive Welsh language online service, Cymru'r Byd.

Listed Buildings (London)

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) Grade I and (b) Grade II listed buildings there are in (i) Greater London and (ii) the London Borough of Enfield; what public funds including Lottery funds have been spent on them in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The numbers of list entries as at 17 May, 2002 for listed buildings in Greater London are 576 at Grade I, 1,243 at Grade II* and 16,157 at Grade II; in Enfield as at the same date there are three list entries for buildings graded at Grade I, 13 at Grade II* and 256 at Grade II.
	English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund are the main distributors of public funds for listed buildings. The public funds spent on listed buildings by English Heritage in each of the last five years are as follows:
	
		Public funds for listed buildings—1997 to 2002 -- £
		
			 Year 1 April to 31 March Enfield Greater London(13) 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,285 2,599,000 
			 1998–99 74,754 2,196,000 
			 1999–2000 24,023 2,672,000 
			 2000–01 Nil 2,083,000 
			 2001–02 1,618 2,187,000 
		
	
	(13) Rounded figures
	It is not possible to ascertain the public funds spent through the Heritage lottery fund, but only the amounts awarded for funding listed buildings each year; these are therefore estimated and projected figures as follows:
	
		
			  Enfield (£) Greater London (£) Number of buildings funded 
		
		
			 1997 365,048 19,272,448 38 
			 1998 264,236 15,098,893 51 
			 1999 Nil 5,273,321 24 
			 2000 Nil 13,230,900 42 
			 2001 Nil 29,912,614 37

Gaelic Programmes

Calum MacDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many hours of Gaelic programmes per year are required of (a) the BBC, (b) Grampian Television and (c) Scottish Television under the Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996; and how many hours have been provided by each of the above broadcasters in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000, (v) 2001 and (vi) 2002.

Kim Howells: The Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996 requires the holder of the multiplex licence under which Channel 5 and S4C Digital are broadcast (SDN) to broadcast at least 30 minutes of Gaelic programming every day in Scotland during peak evening viewing time. In complying with this requirement SDN must broadcast at least 30 hours of Gaelic programmes per year supplied by each of the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television. Under section 32(3) of the Broadcasting Act 1996, the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television are required to provide SDN, free of charge, with such programmes in Gaelic as have been broadcast by the supplier as the holder may request.
	In practice, programmes from the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television are provided to SDN indirectly via the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee (CCG). I understand that, of the programmes supplied to SDN by the CCG, the following hours had previously been broadcast on the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television (the Gaelic service (TeleG) on SDN did not begin broadcasting until 31 October 1999):
	
		Hours 
		
			  BBC STV GTV 
		
		
			 1999 14.5 19.5 6.0 
			 2000 38 120.5 56 
			 2001 31.5 161 41.5 
			 2002(14) 13.5 37.5 20.5 
		
	
	(14) To 30 April 2002.

Communication Policy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Ministers have met representatives of (a) the BBC, (b) ITV, (c) Channel 4 and (d) Channel 5 to discuss Government communication policy since October 2001.

Kim Howells: Since October 2001 my ministerial colleagues and I have met representatives from all four broadcasters, both informally and in the course of our ministerial duties, on a wide range of issues including the development of communication policy. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists.

National Lottery

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the advice that her Department gives people in receipt of Lottery funds on conflicts of interest.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 21 May 2002
	The financial directions issued to Lottery distributing bodies require them to devise and abide by a procedure for handling potential conflicts of interest which may arise in the evaluation of applications by the body or individual members of that body. The directions also deal with the avoidance of actual or perceived conflicts when bodies solicit Lottery applications; and with conflicts which might arise in connection with applications from companies or persons which the distributing body owns, controls or is able materially to influence.
	In preparing their annual accounts, Lottery distributing bodies are required to comply with UK Accounting Standard FRS8 Related Party Transactions. The objective is to ensure that financial statements contain the disclosures necessary to draw attention to the possibility that the reported financial position and results may have been affected by the existence of related parties and transactions between them.

Equal Treatment

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what new data series separated by gender, race, disability and age have been commissioned by her Department since August 1997.

Kim Howells: holding answer 22 May 2002
	No new data series separated by gender, race, disability and age have been commissioned since August 1997. However, the following data have been commissioned which can potentially be separated by gender, ethnicity and age. Data on disability are not available from these sources.
	Museums and Galleries
	Aspects of age and ethnicity are available from a series, commissioned by DCMS in February 2000, to be collected annually from its sponsored museums and galleries.
	Digital television
	Data on age, gender, and ethnicity are available from DCMS commissioned MORI research into consumer attitudes to digital television. This research was published in June 2001 and has been re-commissioned for publication in June 2002.
	DCMS sectors
	Data on ethnicity, gender and age is available from two surveys co-funded by DCMS and managed by the Office For National Statistics. Funding to the General Household Survey has been on-going since its reinstatement in 2000–01, and has also been provided for the first run of the Time Use Survey, published in 2002.

Wage Costs

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 919W, what her latest assessment is of the wage costs of museums, galleries and arts organisations.

Kim Howells: The latest estimate of the total wage costs of museums, galleries and arts organisations sponsored by DCMS is £175 million. This covers the national museums and galleries and The Arts Council of England.
	The total is drawn from information supplied by the sponsored bodies on their pay bill during the 2001–02 financial year.

Television Licence Fee

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will abolish the television licence fee; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: No. The Government believe that, at present, the television licence fee retains distinct advantages over the possible alternative methods for funding the BBC. We have therefore made clear that the licence fee will remain the main source of BBC funding at least until the expiry of the BBC's current royal charter at the end of 2006. Future funding arrangements will need to be considered as part of the charter review process, which will commence in 2004.

Sports Facilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many publicly owned playing fields have been sold in each of the last 15 years.

Richard Caborn: Data on the number of playing fields sold is not collected. Sport England do however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in their role as statutory consultee. The Government will shortly be publishing combined figures for (a) applications from schools submitted to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for the disposal or change of use of school playing fields (which are already published monthly), and (b) figures from Sport England giving details of planning applications affecting playing fields which have been referred to them as statutory consultee (which are already published quarterly), along with (c) relevant data from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Sports Facilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by local authorities on sport facilities in each of the last 15 years.

Richard Caborn: Details of the expenditure by local authorities on the construction, conversion and renovation of sports facilities are shown in the following table. Figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not available. (For the purposes of this question the figures relate to built facilities and do not include running costs (eg staffing costs, other overheads)):
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Indoor sports and Leisure centres Swimming pools 
		
		
			 1987–88 71.6 45.5 
			 1988–89 88.6 49.6 
			 1989–90 173.4 80.6 
			 1990–91 145.3 69.0 
			 1991–92 107.8 50.6 
			 1992–93 52.7 35.1 
			 1993–94 56.9 27.4 
			 1994–95 73.4 30.3 
			 1995–96 74.3 35.9 
			 1996–97 78.9 35.8 
		
	
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Sports facilities 
		
		
			 1997–98 167.6 
			 1998–99 191.0 
			 1999–2000 190.7

Tourism

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish her response to the recent report of the Tourism Alliance commissioned by her.

Kim Howells: The Government have not responded point by point to the Tourism Alliance document "Tourism Spending Priorities", which was published in April. However, the document's recommendations will be taken on board in developing the modernisation programme for the tourism and hospitality industry, including marketing, quality, skills, modernised communication and structural reform. The document identifies a number of key strategic spending issues which we will be considering in the coming months.

Tourism

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what funding will be allocated to the regional development agencies in support of the tourism industry in the year 2002–03 by (a) her Department and (b) other Government agencies;
	(2)  what plans she has to ensure the continuing independence of the regional tourist boards;
	(3)  what offers of financial support she has received for the proposed public-private coalition for the marketing of English tourism;
	(4)  when she expects a campaign to market English tourism to be launched;
	(5)  what funding her Department intends to allocate to the proposed public-private coalition responsible for the marketing of English tourism.

Kim Howells: The announcement on 13 May about the structural reform of English tourism represents a radical change and yesterday I held the first meeting of the Steering Group to start considering the detail of how to take our proposals forward. We aim to report the Group's findings this summer.
	No decision on the level of funding for marketing has yet been taken—an announcement about resources for tourism will be made at the appropriate time but not in advance of the spending round decisions. We have not sought, nor yet received offers of financial support, but I am sure that the industry will respond well, as it did for the Million Visitor campaign earlier in the year.
	Depending on the details of transition to the new structures, we hope to be in a position to start marketing domestically in 2003–04. The precise decisions on dates will of course be for the public-private coalition to decide upon.
	Regional development agencies will in future play a stronger part in the strategic leadership of tourism. However, no decisions on funding have yet been taken and the level of that funding will depend on the precise allocation of new responsibilities. We will continue to encourage RDAs to take account of the huge importance of tourism to their regions, both its direct and indirect impacts, when they take decisions about allocating their single pot.
	Regional tourist boards are private companies limited by guarantee (one is a trust) and so are independent by nature. They are the natural partners for RDAs, with much tourism expertise, and we hope they will all forge effective working relationships with the RDAs.

Prize Competitions

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government are taking in respect of its commitment in paragraph 4.53 of "A Safe Bet for Success" to carry out a separate review of prize competitions and similar quasi-gambling products.

Richard Caborn: We are issuing a consultation paper today, which is also available on our website www.culture.gov.uk. The Government does not want to affect companies' ability to run genuine and harmless sales promotions. But it is important that operators should not be able to circumvent the principle that lotteries should not be run for commercial gain.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Community action programme concerning co-operation policy in the youth field, including European voluntary service and youth exchanges within the Community and with third countries (YOUTH) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The purpose of the Youth Programme Committee is set out in the Council Decision 1031/2000/EC of 13 April 2000, which established the "Youth" Community action programme. The Youth Programme Committee has met twice over the last 12 months. One official and one expert attend the Committee meetings. Travel expenses are met from Commission resources. The travel and subsistence costs to public funds amount to approximately £1,100 over the last 12 months, of which approximately £800 was reimbursed by the Commission.
	The date of the next meeting has yet to be announced by the Commission and an agenda has not been published. However, the previous meeting in December 2001 considered the Commission's White Paper on Youth, adopted the 2002 Youth Programme Work Plan and approved the 2002 Budget.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Middle East

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his answer of 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 616W, on Israel, what the final cost of the damage to projects in the area administered by the Palestinian Authority that have been funded by the UK on a bilateral basis is; and what plans he has to call for financial compensation.

Clare Short: The final cost of damage to UK-funded projects has still to be confirmed. We have also recently learned of damage to fourteen vehicles the UK provided to the Palestinian police force in 1995. The replacement cost would be about £280,000. In common with European Union partners we reserve the right to seek compensation from the Israeli authorities.

Middle East

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his answer of 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 616W, on Israel, what the outcome was of the meeting between the Task Force and Minister Eliezer.

Clare Short: No formal response was given by Minister Ben Eliezer. Subsequent discussions with the Israeli authorities reveal plans for a tightening of travel restrictions affecting the movement of people and goods. This has serious implications for the Palestinian economy, Palestinian society and the viability of the future Palestinian state. In common with the European Union, and other partners, we are considering how we should address this unwelcome development.

Middle East

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with other countries about co-operating in paying for the damage caused to Palestinian areas during the recent Israeli incursions with special reference to Jenin.

Clare Short: A World bank led team has recently completed a damage assessment. We have been fully involved in that process, including discussions about potential funding opportunities. Initial indications are that at least $150 million—out of an estimated total cost of $360 million—will be readily available for urgent priority repairs. We are currently discussing with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees the provision of long term technical assistance to support the rebuilding of the Jenin refugee camp.

Sustainable Development

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards the implementation of national strategies for sustainable development for developing countries; and what involvement she has had with the development of the United Nations policy guidance.

Clare Short: My Department has been working within the OECD's Development Assistance Committee and the United Nations to reach international agreement on the characteristics of national strategies for sustainable development. In April 2001 the high level meeting of the Development Assistance Committee agreed guidelines on principles of planning for sustainable development. These principles were discussed at an international forum on national sustainable development strategies, held in Ghana in November 2001. This forum was organised by the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs with support from my Department.
	An important outcome of this work has been the conclusion that good poverty reduction strategies contain the elements necessary for strategic planning for sustainable development and fulfil the role of national strategies for sustainable development. My Department is providing support in over 30 of the 41 countries which have produced interim or full PRSPs.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Joint Committee (EEC-Côte d'Ivoire) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My officials are unaware of any meetings of a Joint Committee (EEC-Côte d'lvoire). In response to our inquiries, the European Commission was also unable to recall such a committee ever having met or what its mandate might have been.

Parliamentary Advisers

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of parliamentary advisers appointed to serve her Department.

Clare Short: Ministers in this Department have made no such appointments.

HIV

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether there will be an open call from the European Commission for non-Governmental organisations to present proposals targeting HIV prevention in youth under budget line B7–6211.

Clare Short: The Commission will prioritise interventions targeting HIV prevention in youth under budget line B7–6211. An open call for proposals will be made in July 2002.

Reproductive Health

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the European Commission is planning to issue calls for projects in 2002 for budget line B7–6312 Aid for Population and Reproduction Health in Developing Countries funding.

Clare Short: The European Commission plans to issue calls for proposals to budget line B7–6312 in July 2002.

Somalian Refugees

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many Somalian refugees are believed to be camped in (a) Kenya and (b) Ethiopia.

Clare Short: The latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicate there are (a) 129,800 Somalian refugees in Kenya and (b) 50,906 Somalian refugees in Ethiopia. The Kenya figure does not include approximately 10,000 people who have crossed the border into Kenya at Mandera this month.

Somalian Refugees

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to assist the Government of Kenya to deal with Somalian refugees from the town of Bula Hawa.

Clare Short: None. The Government of Kenya have not asked us for any assistance, and we understand that many of the refugees have already returned to Bula Hawa. Several UN agencies and NGOs are working with the Kenyan authorities and the refugees who have not yet returned, to ensure the latter receive the assistance they need, though we understand that food distribution is proving difficult as a result of the security situation. British officials in Nairobi continue to monitor the situation closely.

Somalian Refugees

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations the Government have made to the Government of Kenya for Somalian refugees from the town of Bula Hawa to be allowed to remain around Mandera until the fighting in their home areas subsides.

Clare Short: None. UNHCR is discussing with the Government of Kenya how best to look after the interests of the refugees in around Mandera. We understand that some have agreed to go to the established refugee camp in Dadaab rather than stay near to Mandera. British officials in Nairobi are in close touch with UNCHR and other concerned agencies, and are monitoring the situation as it evolves.

Peru

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government will be offering Peru following the announcement by President Alejandro Toledo diverting military spending to basic social services for children.

Clare Short: We are pleased that President Toledo has reaffirmed the commitment that he made on assuming government in Peru last year to reduce military expenditures and to divert the funds to social expenditures. In support of this and other pro-poor policies, we have provided additional support to Peru in the last year, and we will continue to work closely with the Government and civil society in Peru to support improved access to basic services, for the poorest and most excluded people, including children.

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions in the last six months members of her Department have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Clare Short: Members of my Department meet their counterparts from other countries on a regular basis. It is not possible without disproportionate effort to provide details of all meetings that have taken place between staff of my Department and their Italian counterparts.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People regarding the provision of humanitarian aid to internally displaced people in Burma.

Clare Short: The UK contributes to the costs of providing safe refuge and assistance for both Karen refugees in Thailand and internally displaced people in Burma. This includes funding through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Burmese Border Consortium and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Officials from my Department have met the Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People, and we are aware of its work through our more regular contacts with the Burmese Border Consortium.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to get (a) food and (b) medical supplies to internally displaced Karen, Kaenni and Shan people in Burma.

Clare Short: The situation for internally displaced people in Burma remains extremely vulnerable. Many of these people have taken refuge in remote, inaccessible and politically sensitive areas, making it difficult to conduct any detailed humanitarian assessment of their situation. In 2001–02 we provided humanitarian assistance amounting to over £2 million for both refugees and internally displaced people within Burma. This included funding through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Burmese Border Consortium and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress towards creating a Government of National Unity in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Clare Short: The Inter-Congolese Dialogue reached agreement on a wide range of issues and passed 37 resolutions. But it did not reach agreement on the crucial issue of a transitional leadership. An agreement was signed outside the ICD between President Kabila and the Chairman of the MLC, Jean-Pierre Bemba, which a number of political parties and members of civil society also signed. The RCD-Goma and some political parties including UPDS of Tshishekedi did not. Intensive efforts continue to find an inclusive agreement acceptable to all Congolese elements of the ICD as envisaged by the Lusaka Agreement.

UN Aid Pledge

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps her Department has taken to meet the UN pledge of wealthy countries to spend 0.7 per cent. of national income on international aid.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have made clear their commitment to the United Nations' 0.7 per cent. oda/GNI target and to reversing the decline in UK development assistance. In 1997 the UK's oda/GNI ratio was 0.26 per cent. By 2003–04 it will have risen to 0.33 per cent. This represents an increase in the UK's development assistance budget of 45 per cent. in real terms.
	The Chancellor confirmed in his November 2001 pre-Budget report that in the next Spending Review, for the years 2003–04 to 2005–06, the Government will not only raise significantly the amounts of our own overseas development aid but also raise its share in national income. Further details of the review will be published later this year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Mongolia

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote trade with, and United Kingdom investment in, Mongolia; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Mongolia is a specialised market and British exporters often need help in establishing themselves. Trade Partners UK maintains a market information service on Mongolia for potential exporters. Trade Promotion is also a high priority of the British embassy in Ulaanbaatar. Her Majesty's ambassador and his team are fully equipped to help British exporters pursue business in the country.

Grenade Licence Application

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) legal and (b) human rights factors were taken into account before 1998 when his Department considered export licence applications for the (i) E100 series integrated grenade system and (ii) fragmentation grenade E105 incorporated into the trip wire mechanism manufactured by PW Defence.

Ben Bradshaw: Such items would have been considered under the criteria applicable to all items on the Military List. From July 1997 onwards those were the UK's national export licensing criteria set out in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the former Foreign Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) on 28 July 1997, Official Report, HC26–29. Under those criteria we were obliged to comply with the UK's commitment not to export all forms of anti-personnel land mines and their component parts. The criteria also made clear that we would not issue licences where there is a clearly identifiable risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression, aggressively against another country, or to assert by force a territorial claim.
	The legal basis for controls of integrated grenade systems and fragmentation grenades is entry ML4 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Control (Goods) Order 1994 as amended.

Foreign and Defence Council

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was discussed at European Union Foreign and Defence Ministers' meeting at Brussels on 13 and 14 May; what conclusions were reached; what was agreed for the agenda for European Council's meeting at Seville; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the General Affairs Council (GAC) in Brussels on 13 May. Conclusions were agreed by consensus and no formal votes were taken. Preparation for the Seville European Council was not included in the final agenda.
	Preparation of the Johannesburg Summit on sustainable development
	The Council noted progress made in preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), which will take place in Johannesburg on 26 August to 4 September 2002. The Council instructed relevant Council bodies to prepare a substantive contribution on the EU's role in the WSSD process, to be approved at the GAC on 17 June and endorsed at the Seville European Council.
	Annual Policy Strategy 2003
	The Council endorsed the Commission's three main priorities for 2003: achieving enlargement successfully, continuing to ensure security for EU citizens, and developing a sustainable and inclusive economy. The Council agreed that the Commission's suggested budgetary allocations would be studied in the framework of the Preliminary Draft Budget examination for 2003. The Council recommended that future versions of the Annual Policy Strategy should be presented as early in the year as possible to improve the coherence of the budgetary process.
	Effectiveness of the Union's external action
	The Council noted work in hand and heard presentations on improving cross-pillar co-operation, strengthening the EU's role in international organisations, budgetary issues, development aid and the EU decision- making process. Commissioner Patten briefed Ministers on pilot studies aimed at improving the impact of EU external assistance and on the process of evolution of responsibilities to Commission delegations.
	Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with ACP countries
	The Council welcomed the Commission's proposal for a mandate to negotiate EPAs with the ACP countries, recalling that the ultimate purpose of the negotiations was poverty eradication and integration of ACPs into the world economy. It also addressed questions of ACP market access and WTO compatibility. The discussion will continue in the Permanent Representatives' Committee, with a view to adopting the mandate at the June GAC.
	Renewal of mandates and financing of EU Special Representatives (EUSRs)
	Recalling the essential role played by EUSRs, the Council agreed to extend the functions and funding for FYROM and Afghanistan EUSRs and asked the relevant bodies to study financial formulae to make this possible. Middle East
	The Council discussed the possibility of convening an international conference and welcomed the end of the Church of the Nativity crisis in Bethlehem. It thanked the Cypriot Government for their assistance and thanked member states for provisionally offering the 13 Palestinians involved temporary residence on humanitarian grounds.
	European Security and Defence Policy
	The Council welcomed the participation of Defence Ministers, meeting as the GAC for the first time, and noted progress towards establishing the Capability Development Mechanism (CDM). It also acknowledged recent advances made in European military capabilities and discussed possible means of resolving current shortfalls with a view to meeting the Headline Goal.
	Western Balkans
	The Council conducted its annual review of the Stabilisation and Association Process for South Eastern Europe (SAP), which provides a route map to EU membership, tied to each country's progress on reform. The Council called on the SAP countries to devote adequate attention and resources to implementation of EU recommendations, with particular reference to strengthening the rule of law and judicial systems and visa and entry policies. The Council invited the Commission to assess progress made at its next annual review in March 2003. The Council also proposed to establish a new ministerial-level political forum, linking the EU with the SAP countries. It also highlighted the need for a greater EU public information effort to foster greater understanding of the SAP. Crisis management in the Balkans, including the future EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a possible mission in Macedonia, was also discussed.
	Iran
	The Council noted that broad agreement had been reached on substance and objectives for developing EU relations with Iran. In addition to commercial matters, it was felt important that this include dialogue on terrorism, proliferation and regional stability. It instructed officials to pursue discussion with a view to a decision at the next GAC on a negotiating mandate for a Trade and Co-operation Agreement with Iran.
	Angola
	The Council welcomed recent encouraging developments in Angola, including the signing of an MOU by the Angolan Armed and Unita forces culminating in a ceasefire. The Council, while expressing support for positive initiatives undertaken by the Angolan Government, called on the authorities to allocate the necessary resources to: reintegrating Unita and Angolan armed soldiers into the armed forces police and civil society; demining; and reconstruction of social and civil infrastructure. It also requested that the Angolan Government do their utmost to assist humanitarian needs.

Bali Pre-conference

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people from his Department will travel to Bali to participate in the mini- summit for discussion of environmental issues.

Denis MacShane: There will be six officials travelling to Bali from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who will be participating at the fourth preparatory committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

World Cup

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Football Association and (b) the England Supporters Club on the advice to be given to England football supporters travelling to Japan and South Korea for the World Cup finals.

Ben Bradshaw: We have been working closely with the Football Association and "Englandfans" (the official England supporters club) to provide useful, relevant and up-to-date information for travelling supporters to the World Cup in Japan and Korea. As well as the travellers tips available on our website, an FCO pocket information guide and FCO/DCMS/Home Office leaflet are being distributed with World Cup match tickets by the FA and FIFA, and will also be available at UK airports and upon arrival in Japan and Korea.

World Cup

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Japanese Government on British prisoner transfer arrangements during the course of and following the World Cup finals.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK does not have a bilateral prisoner transfer agreement with Japan. We have been encouraging Japan to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (CECTSP), but Japan must first enact the necessary domestic legislation. During discussions in April 2002, Japanese officials said that they hoped to have the necessary legislation in place by summer 2002, which will then enable Japan to apply for accession to the CECTSP. As applications to the Council of Europe Secretariat take some time, Japan will not have acceded to the Convention in time for the World Cup 2002. British consular staff will, however, continue to do everything possible to help British nationals who are arrested or detained in Japan.

Single Currency

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions which have taken place between officials in his Department and those from Sweden on the timing of referenda on EMU membership.

Peter Hain: Officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office conduct discussions on all aspects of EU policy, including economic issues, with all our European counterparts on a regular basis.

Information Campaigns

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards projecting plurality of opinion on the future direction of the EU in his Department's information campaigns; what input he receives from representatives of external organisations in developing his material; and if he will make it his policy to expand contact lists to represent organisations critical of the EU.

Peter Hain: We are committed to consulting the public over the convention on the future of Europe, including by getting young people from all walks of life and political persuasion involved in the Youth convention. The Foreign Office, in conjunction with The Independent, is running a nationwide competition to select three young people to join the UK delegation.
	In developing EU public diplomacy material, we have received input from the Plain Language Commission.
	The FCO is open to the views of all organisations but is tasked with presenting the Government's policy on the EU.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on forced movement of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno- Karabakh by the Azerbaijan authorities.

Ben Bradshaw: Approximately 60,000 Nagorno- Karabakh Armenians were displaced by the Azeris during the heaviest part of the fighting in 1991–92. 35,000 have since returned. The displaced Armenian population was largely from the Shahumian and Madakaert regions. During the same period, a large number (approximately 800,000) of Azeris were also displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. We are not aware of any forced movement of population on either side of the line of control since the ceasefire in 1994.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the waiting time is for the spouse of a British national applying for a settlement visa in the UK from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ben Bradshaw: We have a Public Service Agreement with the Treasury that we conduct 90 per cent. of settlement interviews within a target time of 12 weeks. However, in practice applicants who apply to our visa section in Kinshasa on a Monday morning are usually interviewed on Tuesday and Wednesday; those who apply on a Wednesday morning, when the visa section opens again, are interviewed on Thursday, or the following Monday. The section would therefore expect to interview the spouse of a British national applying for settlement within three working days. Normally, a decision on the application would immediately follow this interview.

Hague Tribunal

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chief Prosecutor at the Hague Tribunal over funding of the Prosecutor's Office.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met with the Prosecutor, Mrs. Del Ponte, in London on 14 March 2002. They discussed the resource requirements of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, including the Office of the Prosecutor. Mrs. Del Ponte received assurances of our continued support.

Iraq

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the (i) level of risk posed by and (ii) stage of development reached by Iraq in the development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Ben Bradshaw: We have not specifically commissioned any such research.
	We do, however, have regular access, including from intelligence sources, to information regarding the development of such weapons by Iraq.
	This information, coupled with the details of weapons and materials for which UN weapons inspectors were unable to account between 1991 and 1998 enables us to make periodic assessments of the risk posed by Iraq and of on-going development work.
	Since the withdrawal of UNSCOM and IAEA inspection teams in December 1998, we have had no independently-verifiable information of the stage of development reached in the Iraqi WMD programme.

Libya

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Libyan authorities about the crash report on flight LAA1103.

Ben Bradshaw: Our embassy in Tripoli have made regular requests to the Libyan authorities for a copy of the crash report. They will continue to do so. As a British citizen was killed in the crash, we believe that we have a right to this information. However, it is far from certain whether a crash report has or will be written, or, if one does exist, whether the Libyan authorities will hand a copy over to us.

Burma

Iain Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with foreign Ministers in other countries about future strategies to be adopted in partnership aimed at encouraging peaceful democratic change in Burma.

Ben Bradshaw: Burma is a frequent topic of multilateral and bilateral discussion at ministerial and official level within the EU as well as key members of the international community. I took the opportunity to discuss Burma with ministerial colleagues in Singapore and Brunei during my visit to south east Asia. I impressed on them the importance of maintaining pressure on the Burmese regime to take meaningful progress on democratic reform.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to impose sanctions against Burma as a result of military action on behalf of the Burmese Army against Karen, Kaenni and Shan people.

Ben Bradshaw: In response to the overall political and human rights situation in Burma, the EU Common Position contains an arms embargo, a ban on high level visits, a ban on the export of items that may be used for torture, a ban on non-humanitarian assistance and an asset freeze and visa ban on senior members of the regime. The European Commission suspended Burma's trading privileges in 1997 in response to concerns over forced labour. In addition HMG discourages trade, investment and tourism with Burma.
	The EU Common Position was extended for a further period of six months in April 2002. It will only be relaxed when there is substantive progress towards national reconciliation in Burma.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to help bring democracy to Burma.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have played a leading role in the EU and the UN in pressing for substantive political change in Burma. In April, the EU Common Position was renewed unchanged for a further period of six months and an EU-sponsored resolution on the human rights situation in Burma was adopted by consensus at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
	The release from house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a welcome step forward. But it is only one of many needed. We will continue to press for national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the number of Karen, Kaenni and Shan people (a) internally displaced and (b) killed as a result of military action against them by the Burmese Army in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Exact figures are not available as international access to many of the conflict areas is restricted or prevented by the military authorities. Recent UN estimates have indicated that up to 600,000 Burmese may be internally displaced.
	It is even more difficult to gauge the number of people who have been killed as a result of fighting with the military authorities. That human rights abuses continue in Burma is not in doubt. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted a consensus resolution on Burma in April sponsored by the EU, which detailed the scale of the problem and expressed its continuing grave concern.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of military action taken by the Burmese Army against the Karen, Kaenni and Shan people following the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ben Bradshaw: The ethnic minorities in Burma suffer disproportionately due to the misrule of the Burmese authorities. The violence inflicted on the Karen, the Karenni and the Shan is on-going. The intensity of the fighting fluctuates, in part due to the climate of Burma, particularly the monsoon. We have consistently pressed the regime to move ahead on national reconciliation and urged all sides to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last made representations to (a) the Burmese Government and (b) other interested parties about the treatment of the Karen people by the Burmese army.

Ben Bradshaw: We take every opportunity to impress upon the Burmese regime our deep concern about their treatment of the Karen and other ethnic minorities in Burma, including through our ambassador in Rangoon and visiting officials. The UK co-sponsored a United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution on Burma in April 2002 and, as part of the EU, we shall co-sponsor a similar resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in November. We have also drawn our concerns to the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma.

Gibraltar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the planned prime ministerial and ministerial meetings with the Spanish Prime Minister and Spanish Ministers in which it is expected that the future of Gibraltar will be discussed under the Brussels Process in the next month.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Spanish Prime Minister on 20 May for discussions on a range of EU and foreign policy issues. They held talks on Gibraltar in a positive and constructive atmosphere. When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Spanish counterpart on 15 May they agreed to convene a further formal Brussels Process meeting in late June or early July.

Pakistan

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 1 May 2002, Official Report, column 830W, on appeals on what date (a) the appeal papers were despatched from Islamabad, (b) they were received by London and (c) they were sent to the IAA.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	As my hon. Friend has referred this case to the parliamentary ombudsman it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on the issues he has raised at this stage of proceedings. My officials from Immigration and Nationality Directorate will shortly be responding to the matters raised by the ombudsman who will send you a reply in due course.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will call upon the Australian Government to ban President Mugabe and his Ministers from attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane;
	(2)  if he will urge the Australian Government to ban President Mugabe and his Ministers from attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane and from entering Australia until 10 March;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart on whether Australia should ban President Mugabe and his Ministers from travelling to or entering Australia ahead of the presidential election in Zimbabwe on 10 March during the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 1 March;
	(4)  what discussions (a) he has had and (b) plans to have with Commonwealth partners on whether President Mugabe should attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting during the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 1 March.

Jack Straw: holding answer 4 March 2002
	President Mugabe did not, in the event, attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane. Attendance at the meeting was a matter for the Australian Government.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he will recommend his Commonwealth colleagues take regarding the present situation in Zimbabwe during the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 1 March.

Jack Straw: holding answer 4 March 2002
	At the CMAG meeting on 1 March we urged our Commonwealth partners to suspend Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe was duly suspended from the Council of the Commonwealth on 19 March.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the European Union observers who have recently returned from Zimbabwe will publish a report on their findings.

Jack Straw: The European Union observer team was withdrawn from Zimbabwe before the elections took place, as the Government of Zimbabwe prevented it from carrying out its mandate. The team did not publish a report.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to engage in dialogue or attend meetings with President Mugabe during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane.

Jack Straw: I was unable to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane, at which President Mugabe was also not present. My noble Friend Baroness Amos attended plenary meetings at which Zimbabwe was represented, but did not engage in dialogue with representatives of the Zimbabwe Government.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of Council Common Position 2002/203/CFSP of 11 March, repealing 2001/83/CFSP, for the Zimbabwean military; and what steps he will take to ensure that EU aid is properly accounted for.

Denis MacShane: The Council Common Position referred to supports the implementation of the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions within the framework of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A key element of the Lusaka agreement is the full withdrawal of all foreign troops, including Zimbabweans. This is also in accordance with the Security Council Resolutions.
	The European Commission now focuses its aid for Zimbabwe on humanitarian assistance and support for the health sector to combat HIV/AIDS. It has systems in place to closely monitor its assistance, and ensure that it is properly accounted for.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the European Community has banned exports of electronic jamming equipment designed to prevent the detonation by remote of improvised bombs to Zimbabwe under EC 310/2002 Annex II.

Denis MacShane: EC Regulation 310/2002 of 18 February 2002 places inter alia an embargo on sale or supply to Zimbabwe of equipment which might be used for internal repression. Annex II of that Regulation contains an agreed EC list of equipment subject to the embargo. This list was originally established in the context of EC Regulation 926/98 of 27 April 1998 which placed inter alia an embargo on the sale or supply to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of equipment which might be used for internal repression or terrorism. "Electronic jamming equipment especially designed to prevent the detonation by radio remote control of improvised devices and specially designed components therefor" was included in the list annexed to Regulation 926/98 because of the potential for such equipment being used in countering anti-terrorism measures.
	This embargo is in addition to the full scope arms embargo imposed by the Council Common Position (2002/145/CFSP).

LORD CHANCELLOR

Legal Profession

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will publish his consultative paper on the OFT report on the legal profession; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: As announced in the Budget statement in April, Government plans to issue a consultation paper on matters falling to it before the summer recess. The issues concern the extension of legal professional privilege and rights to do conveyancing and probate work; moves towards enabling the Law Society effectively to regulate the provision of legal services through alternative business structures; and the QC system.

Immigration Appeals

Tom Cox: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the estimated waiting time is for an immigration appeal to be heard.

Rosie Winterton: pursuant to her reply, 29 April 2002
	The average time to hearing for immigration cases received by the IAA between 1 May 2001 and 31 October 2001 was 5.2 weeks to first hearing and 14.1 weeks to substantive hearing at the adjudicator stage.

SCOTLAND

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her answer of 7 March 2002, Official Report, column 512W, on statutory instruments, what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of each of the statutory instruments listed.

Helen Liddell: Costs associated with regulatory proposals are considered at the policy development stage. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is completed for regulatory proposals unless there are no or negligible costs, and sets out the impact, in terms of costs, benefits and risks of the proposed regulation which could affect businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. RIAs are available from the Libraries of the House.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) (Amendment) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Order 2001; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (Scotland) Regulations 2001; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 (Conditions Attached to PSV Operators' Licence and Competition Tests for Exercise of Bus Functions) Order 2001; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: Costs associated with regulatory proposals are considered at the policy development stage. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is completed for regulatory proposals unless there are no or negligible costs, and sets out the impact, in terms of costs, benefits and risks of the proposed regulation which could affect businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. RIAs are available from the Libraries of the House.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she will answer the questions from the hon. Member for Isle of Wight of 1 March, Ref 39912 and 40038.

Helen Liddell: With apologies for the delay, I replied to the hon. Member's questions on 20 May.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits Agency

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the staff turnover in (a) administrative officer and (b) administrative assistant grades in the Benefits Agency was in each year since 1997; and if he will break down the turnover by region.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is not available for the period before April 2000. Such information as is available is in the following tables.
	
		Period April 2000 to March 2001
		
			   Joiners  Leavers  
			 Region Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers 
		
		
			 London East 360 580 187 233 
			 London North 390 477 253 172 
			 London Central and South 408 580 237 285 
			 South-west 332 213 226 91 
			 East Midlands 254 174 155 157 
			 West Midlands 264 174 122 65 
			 Wales 272 195 189 77 
			 Merseyside 258 81 167 42 
			 Greater Manchester 185 136 102 70 
			 Yorkshire 217 79 134 46 
			 North-east 258 119 155 57 
			 West of Scotland 322 217 196 147 
			 East of Scotland 305 153 194 103 
			 Agency Central Services 207 123 151 119 
		
	
	
		Period April 2001 to March 2002
		
			   Joiners  Leavers  
			 Region Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers 
		
		
			 London East 511 640 257 159 
			 London North 530 620 304 179 
			 London Central and South 667 840 372 379 
			 South-west 453 403 292 149 
			 East Midlands 397 398 221 91 
			 West Midlands 414 488 167 92 
			 Wales 467 392 245 180 
			 Merseyside 506 245 260 87 
			 Greater Manchester 259 234 124 56 
			 Yorkshire 507 376 266 68 
			 North-east 298 156 148 45 
			 West of Scotland 334 284 160 52 
			 East of Scotland 384 194 211 58 
		
	
	Note:
	Agency Central Services became part of DSS Corporate Services Directorate on 1 April 2001.

Head Injury Rehabilitation

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has to assess the availability of vocational rehabilitation services for people who sustain a head injury;
	(2)  what recent meetings have taken place within his Department on the provision of brain injury rehabilitation; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Regular assessments are carried out of the availability of vocational rehabilitation services, including those for people who sustain head injuries. The services which are now in place, and delivered under contract through the Department's Work Preparation Programme, meet current and expected demand within the catchment area of individual providers.
	Ministers and officials have regular meetings with colleagues across Government to discuss rehabilitation, including services for people with acquired brain injury. A meeting was held with Ministerial colleagues from the Department of Health on 15 April to discuss a range of issues concerning health and rehabilitation. The Department is working jointly with a number of other Departments, including the Department of Health, to ensure that what is in place fully contributes towards our objective of helping as many as possible of those not working following injury or ill-health to make a prompt return to work.

Departmental Report

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Departmental report will be published.

Alistair Darling: The Work and Pensions Departmental Report, which sets out the Department's expenditure plans for 2002–03 to 2003–04, has been published today. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Correspondence

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons the letter from the hon. Member for Ilford, North on behalf of Mrs. C. A. Beadle of Tomswood Hill, Ilford dated 2 July 2001 took nine months to answer.

Malcolm Wicks: The delay in replying to my hon. Friend's letter is regretted. This was due to administrative error.

Housing Benefit

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will amend the housing benefit regulations to take into account those individuals whose financial circumstances have changed between selling the property they continue to reside in, and making a claim for housing benefit;
	(2)  what reason the amendment of regulation 7 of the Housing Benefit regulations, effective in January 1999, excluded from entitlement to benefit those who previously owned the home they now rent.

Malcolm Wicks: The intention of Housing Benefit regulation 7(1)(h) is to halt the abuse of the scheme where an owner-occupier transfers ownership of his or her home without money changing hands, or sells it for less than the market price, and then rents it back.
	Housing Benefit is still available to anyone who can demonstrate that he or she was forced to transfer or sell, for example because of impending repossession for mortgage arrears. A further amendment, from May 2001, allows a former owner to claim Housing Benefit provided five years have elapsed since he or she ceased to own the property.
	We keep all our policies under review but have no plans to make further amendments to this provision.

Data Protection

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Malcolm Wicks: Since 1 January 1999 the Department has only had one version of internal guidance to assist staff to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998. The guidance is contained in the Data Protection Manual, which is available in the Library.

Medical Services

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his plans to extend SchlumbergerSema's contract for the supply of medical services; and if he will list the service improvements that SchlumbergerSema will be expected to deliver as a result of a contract extension;
	(2)  when he plans to publish the Department's report on Medical Services' performance against quality targets;
	(3)  if he will list each performance target that his Department has set for SchlumbergerSema to deliver medical services and the levels of performance against those targets that have been achieved;
	(4)  what measures he has taken to ensure that SchlumbergerSema has made improvements to its level of performance in delivering medical services.

Nick Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge and Chryston (Mr. Clarke), 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 374–75W.

Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of the staff employed undertaking specific work on counter fraud policy issues on 1 April had less than (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) two years, (d) three years, (e) four years and (f) more than four years experience of working in this specific area.

Malcolm Wicks: The overall aim of the Department's anti-fraud strategy is to have a benefit system which is secure from first claim to final payment.
	The implementation of this strategy means that an anti-fraud focus is integral to the work of all staff in the Department, as is dealing with the wider agenda of error and incorrectness in benefit payments.
	The Fraud Strategy Unit (FSU) manages the setting and dissemination of fraud policy for the Department's Agencies and has a central role in undertaking specific work on counter-fraud policy issues. The information requested, in respect of FSU staff, is in the table.
	
		FSU staff's length of experience of working on counter-fraud policy issues as at 1 April 2002
		
			 Less than 6 months 6 to 12 months 1 to 2 years 2 to 3 years 3 to 4 years More than 4 years 
		
		
			 19 19 12 18 8 8 
		
	
	The staff in Fraud Strategy Unit bring with them a wide range of skills and experience, notably in counter-fraud operational work, social security administration, legislation and programme/budget management. Many staff in the unit have had several years' experience in social security administration and dealing with customers, where countering fraud is the concern of all staff.

Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions for fraud involving housing or council tax benefit were undertaken by local authorities in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) between 1 January and 31 December 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: The latest information available on the number of prosecutions for fraud undertaken by local authorities is in the table.
	
		Local authority investigations
		
			  Prosecutions Cautions and penalties as an alternative to prosecution Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 700 — 700 
			 1998–99 800 — 800 
			 1999–2000 860 390 1,250 
			 2000–01 1,100 550 1,650 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from local authority management information returns. It is possible that there could be some double counting with Benefits Agency data if there were cases which involved a joint prosecution.
	2. Information is not available for all 408 local authorities. The total for Great Britain includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents. The figures for financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01 have been rounded to two significant figures.
	3. Administrative penalties, as an alternative to prosecution, were introduced by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act (1997) with effect from December 1998.

Tax Credits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the applicable amount for housing benefit and council tax benefit will be increased to take non-pensioner tax credits into account.

Malcolm Wicks: The amounts included in respect of children in housing benefit and council tax benefit applicable amounts will equal the maximum help available for children through child tax credit and child benefit. Both child tax credit and working tax credit will be taken into account as income, in line with the current treatment of working families' tax credit and disabled person's tax credit.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on incentives in the field of employment is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Committee on Community incentive measures in the field of employment is provided for by a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council, which the Council adopted on 6 May 2002, Article 129 of the Amsterdam Treaty. It runs until 31 December 2006.
	The programme of employment incentive measures will cover analysis, research and co-operation among the member states to support the European Employment Strategy and help achieve the strategic goals set by the Lisbon European Council. Activities, particularly through pilot projects, will include: the forward-looking evaluation of the Strategy; promoting the exchange of experience and good practice; and increasing information and general awareness of the social partners and relevant local and regional authorities. It also involves raising awareness of the Employment Strategy among European citizens
	The work programme for the committee, which will approved at the first meeting on 30 May, will include deciding and managing with the Commission the: general guidelines for the implementation of the activities; breakdown of funding between the activities; proposals for selection criteria for financial support; criteria for assessing activities receiving such support; and the procedure for disseminating and transferring the results. The committee will have an advisory role on the other aspects of the standard comitology decision.
	The committee is likely to meet two to three times a year and will be attended by one UK official. The annual cost to public funds of UK attendance is likely to be up to £1,650 of which the Commission will reimburse up to £1,230.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02).
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the mandate of the Committee of the European Social Fund is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The legal base of the European Social Fund (ESF) Committee is Article 147 of the treaty establishing the European Community. The committee's role is to assist the European Commission in administering the ESF. It delivers opinions on draft Commission proposals relating to the ESF including programming documents and implementing rules. It has met four times over the last 12 months.
	The committee is chaired by the Commission and is composed of representatives of member state Governments, trade unions and employers' organisations. The UK has six full members: two officials from the ESF Division of the Joint International Unit of the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Education and Skills; two representatives from the Trades Union Congress (TUC); and two representatives from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). There are also three alternate members from the UK who are entitled to attend in the absence of a full member from their respective category: an official from the UK Permanent Representation to the EU and representatives from the TUC and CBI. The costs to public funds for the Government full members are limited to expenses of approximately £550 per person for a one day-meeting, less reimbursement provided by the Commission.
	At its last meeting on 22 March 2002, the committee considered the evaluation of the ESF, local employment initiatives, gender mainstreaming, preparation of national action plans for employment, complementarity with the Leonardo Da Vinci vocational training programme and lifelong learning.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has responsibility for ESF policy within the UK and is accountable to Parliament for the work of the UK Government members on the ESF committee. The Department for Work and Pensions prepares explanatory memoranda on EU documents on the ESF committee that are deposited in Parliament for scrutiny. These arrangements will continue.

Disability Benefit

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his programme to enable people receiving disability benefit to take employment.

Maria Eagle: We have a wide range of programmes that have proved successful in helping people with disabilities secure work where they are ready and able to do so.
	Over 8,200 people have already been helped into work through the New Deal for Disabled People pilots. Building on that success we extended the New Deal for Disabled People and we now have a national network of job brokers from the public, private and voluntary sectors who work closely with employers, voluntary groups and health services to help people with health conditions and disabilities move into work. A further 2,304 people have been helped into work through the extension.
	Disability employment advisers continue to provide specialist support to disabled jobseekers, and disabled employees and their employers. The roll-out of integrated Jobcentre Plus offices will provide disabled people with work-focused meetings with a personal adviser to ensure they are aware of all the help and opportunities available to them.
	A range of other Government programmes are also available to help people with health conditions and disabilities find and keep employment, including Access to Work, Workstep and Work Preparation. All the programmes are subject to evaluation, and reports are published. They are available free of charge from the Department and are also accessible on the internet.

Pensioner Incomes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) percentage of single pensioners with gross weekly incomes of between (i) £78 and £134 and (ii) £122 and £134; and if he will estimate the (1) number and (2) percentage of pensioner couples with gross weekly incomes of between (A) £124 and £200 and (B) £188 and £200.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			   Gross weekly income (£) Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Single pensioners 78–134 1,730,000 40 
			  122–134 470,000 11 
			 
			 Pensioner couples 124–200 1,000,000 25 
			  188–200 170,000 4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The estimates are from the Family Resources Survey 1999–00 and are rounded to the nearest 10,000 or 1 per cent. As with data from any survey, these estimates should not be treated as exact as they are subject to sampling error. This is the latest year for which results are available and the survey covers Great Britain.
	2. The Family Resources Survey does not include information on pensioners living in residential care or nursing homes.
	3. Gross weekly income is at July 1999 prices.
	4. Single pensioners are defined as single (non-cohabiting) people aged 60 or over. Pensioner couples are defined as couples (married or co-habiting) where either partner is aged 60 or over. This differs from the definition used in the Pensioners' Incomes Series (singles over state pension age (65 and over for men, 60 and over for women) and couples where the man is over state pension age).

Pensioner Incomes

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on payment to pensioners and those in receipt of other benefits of Consignia's plans for urban sub-post offices.

Ian McCartney: Access for customers will be a key feature of the Post Office's restructuring programme. Even after restructuring, it is expected that well over 95 per cent. of customers in urban areas will still live within a mile of a post office branch and the majority will live within half a mile. And the branches which make up the network should have a sounder commercial basis upon which to develop customer service.

Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  for each of the past five years, how many people were contracted out of SERPS; and what proportion of the workforce were contracted out;
	(2)  how many people are contracted out of the additional pension; and what the equivalent number was in each of the last five years.
	(3)  how many and what proportion of the workforce are contracted out of the additional pension, broken down by level of income.
	(4)  for each (a) month and (b) quarter over the past four years, how many people were contracted out of SERPS; and what proportion of the workforce are contracted out.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out as follows:
	The number of people who were contracted out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme in 1995–96, the latest year for which figures are available, is 14.8 million. The workforce for the same year was 28.7 million; the proportion of the workforce estimated to be contracted out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme was 52 per cent.
	Note:
	Workforce means "economically active people" which is defined in the "Labour Force Survey" as being all those who are either in employment or unemployed.
	Source:
	"Second Tier Pension Provision 1995–96" and "Labour Force Survey"—Department for Work and Pensions' Analytical Services Division.

Pension Service

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice and information will be provided by staff in the new pension centres to encourage (a) new and (b) existing pensioners to (i) claim the minimum income guarantee and (ii) receive payments directly from post offices.

Ian McCartney: The Pension Service will provide a modern, efficient and customer focused service for both today's and future pensioners. It will play a crucial role in our aim to tackle pensioner poverty. We are committed to encouraging pensioners to claim their full entitlements. We have already conducted a very successful minimum income guarantee (MIG) campaign which resulted in an extra 134,000 pensioners making successful claims to MIG receiving on average an extra £20 a week.
	We are continuing to look at more effective ways of encouraging eligible pensioners to claim the MIG. Initiatives include:
	A MIG claim line on freephone 0800 028 1111. This is available to enable our customers to apply for MIG easily and simply.
	A new shortened claim form available on the internet at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk.
	Since April 2002, all customers contacting the Retirement Pension Teleclaims Centre are offered information on MIG and asked if they would like someone to call them back with more information and pursue a claim. Those customers who do not wish to claim MIG via the RP telecentre are sent a MIG information leaflet with their RP claim pack.
	Additionally, we will:
	Issue mailshots to pensioners who claimed RP and who may also be entitled to MIG, encouraging them to claim. Around 100,000 pensioners will receive a mailshot over the April-June period.
	Use "trigger" questions which identify customers who have a match with one or more predetermined 'key life events' that may indicate a potential entitlement to MIG, for example, when customers aged 60 and over receive a new award of one or more benefits, such as attendance allowance, industrial injuries benefit or housing benefit. A letter explaining the possible entitlement and inviting customers to claim MIG is sent to all customers identified in this way.
	Training material for Pension Service staff includes guidance on identifying potential entitlement to MIG. If, during the course of any inquiry, it becomes evident that the pensioner might be entitled to MIG they will be encouraged to claim.
	Also, the local service will work closely with local authorities, the voluntary sector and other service providers to give a proactive service and ensure that customers receive their full benefit entitlement. In time local service staff will be trained to provide a more joined-up service covering the broad range of services older people may need to access. The local service will include surgeries, a home visiting where there is a special need and joint benefit take-up campaigns.
	At the moment, pensioners can choose to be paid by order book or have their money paid directly into a bank or building society account. From April 2003, payments directly into accounts will become the normal method of payment. People will still be able to collect their money from the post office and will be provided with information to enable them to choose the most appropriate account.

Final Salary Pension Schemes

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the company practice of dishonouring final salary pension schemes.

Ian McCartney: There has been a long-term decline in the coverage of final salary pension schemes, which has accelerated as a result of increased longevity and the recent fall in the stock markets. Many companies have had to consider the financial impact on their business of continuing to run a final salary scheme for all employees.
	Employers should take a long-term view of pensions, rather than basing their decisions on short-term considerations. Where employers do change their pension schemes, we believe that they have a responsibility to make it absolutely clear what the implications are for employee pensions.
	The Sandler review of the long-term retail savings market and Pickering review of pension regulation will report in the summer. The Inland Revenue is also reviewing the taxation of occupational pension schemes. We will issue proposals in the autumn, aimed at making pension provision more attractive for individuals and pension providers. This will build on the reforms that have been introduced since 1998. Pension Credit will ensure that it always pays to save. State second pension will benefit 14 million low and moderate earners, and four million carers and disabled people who will get a second pension for the first time. We have introduced pension forecasts to provide individuals with the right information to make an informed decision about their retirement. And the introduction of stakeholder pensions means that everyone now has access to low-charge, flexible pension provision.

E-Envoy (Contractors)

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list by (a) date, (b) value and (c) contractor contracts for consultancy and research into (i) smart card and (ii) e-business which have been placed by or for the office of the E-Envoy by (A) competition or (B) single tender in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	(i) Smart card technology
	The office of e-Envoy has had two studies over the past 12 months and the details are as follows:
	(1) (a) 31 August 2001 (b) £5,000 (c) Alco Partnership. This was by single tender action.
	(2) (b) 3 August 2001 (b) £69,000 (c) Logica. This was by competition.
	(ii) e-Business
	The office of e-Envoy has had five contracts for consultancy and research that cross over onto the e-Business sector that we have listed. Please note these are not solely e-Business as these studies cover other areas such as citizen and public sector.
	(1) (a) 14 July 2001 (b) £516,000 (c) Analysis. This was a study that was to take place over a three-year period looking at international and UK benchmarking (broadband). This was by competition.
	(2) (a) 24 July 2001 (b) £400,000 (c) Analysis\Booz Allen. Consultancy support to the broadband: demand and aggregation in the public sector. This was by competition.
	(3) (a) 23 August 2001 (b) £47,000 (c) Hall Aitken. This was research into internet use in the voluntary and community sectors. Single tender action.
	(4) (a) 11 September 20001 (b) £48,000 (c) De Montfort university. This study was looking at ISP (internet service provider) data to research the business and household internet take up. This was by single tender.
	(5) (a) 13 March 2002 (b) £310,000 (c) Booz Allen. This is research into international benchmarking of the e-Economy. This was by competition.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Wrongfully Convicted Prisoners

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has concluded his consideration of the report of the working group on an advice service for wrongfully convicted prisoners; if he has made final decisions on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: After careful consideration of the report and recommendations of the working group, I have announced today my decision to establish an advice service for such individuals. The service will operate as a pilot project for an initial period of 12 months and will be provided by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. The project will be subject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation during this pilot phase. Decisions on future service provision will be made in the light of evidence from the evaluation. To inform the evaluation process I have also decided to establish a consultative group, whose members will be drawn from a range of organisations and individuals with an interest in this issue. Expressions of interest in membership of this group are now being invited.

Juvenile Crime

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to apply electronic monitoring technology to juveniles released from the custodial part of the detention and training order.

Beverley Hughes: Section 62 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 provides for the electronic monitoring of prisoners released on licence. By virtue of section 62(5)(a), this includes young people during the community element of a detention and training order (DTO).
	Electronic monitoring of those released from detention and training orders is already available in 84 youth offending team areas as part of the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme overseen by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.
	Section 102(4) of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 empowers the Secretary of State to release an offender:
	in the case of an order of eight months or more but less than 18 months, one month before the half-way point; and
	in the case of an order of 18 months or more, one month or two months before that point.
	The availability of electronic monitoring enables me to consider how we can make further use of the powers in section 102(4) to provide a useful transitional phase in the reintegration of trainees from custody back into the community.
	I therefore propose to use electronic monitoring as a condition of the release of trainees serving a DTO of eight months or more for a period of one or two months prior to their current release at the half-way point. This form of release will be a normal feature of DTOs except in the case of trainees convicted of sex offences or serious violent offences. The possibility of release on electronic monitoring at this stage in the DTO will not be available to trainees who have exhibited violent or destructive behaviour to people or property within the secure facility; made exceptionally bad progress against the training plan as a result of consistent failure to co-operate or failure to take responsibility for their behaviour.

Annie Millhouse

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to take a decision on the application for leave to remain on the basis of marriage of Annie Millhouse (Home Office ref: M718839).

Angela Eagle: A decision on this case was taken on 16 May 2002. Mrs. Millhouse will be notified of the result shortly.

Alisa Masokha

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to issue a travel document to Alisa Masokha (Home Office ref: J1052415).

Angela Eagle: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) are not responsible for issuing foreign national travel documents.
	IND have no evidence of receiving Ms Masokha's national travel document in their offices. However, arrangements will shortly be made to issue Ms Masokha with a status letter which will enable her to obtain a replacement document from her national authorities.

Naturalisation

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long people granted naturalisation on grounds of (a) residence and (b) marriage in April or the latest month for which figures are available had waited before receiving the decision; and how long persons who have applied for naturalisation on each ground in 2002 can expect to wait for a decision.

Angela Eagle: The information available relates to the average waiting time for citizenship (naturalisation and registrations). The most recent published data relate to March 2001, when the average waiting time was 11.6 months.
	I regret that information on waiting times for naturalisation applications only is not available.
	We aim to reduce the average time taken to grant citizenship to qualifying applicants to 4.5 months by March 2003. It is expected that performance on this target will be reported on in due course, after the end of the financial year.

Drugs

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation and drugs treatment services have adopted oral fluid testing for drug abuse.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office recently issued a probation circular, (PC7/2002:Revision of National Standards of Supervision of Offenders in the Community) which notified probation areas that they were no longer required to obtain specific written authority from the Home Office to use oral fluid testing in respect of the Drug Treatment and Testing Order. Prior to this announcement, twenty-three Probation Areas had requested the use of oral fluid testing. Oral fluid testing is also currently being used in the three probation areas piloting the drug testing provisions contained in the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
	Information regarding the practices of drug treatment services is not held centrally.

Drugs

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug treatment or testing orders have been made which require the use of Naltrexone.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could not be determined except at disproportionate cost.

Drugs

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the economic cost of drug misuse in the last year for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: The University of York Centre for Criminal Justice Economics and Psychology (Culyer A, Eaton G, Godfrey C et al, 2002) has recently completed a research report for the Home Office entitled "The Economic and Social Costs of Class A Drugs Misuse in England and Wales, 2000". The report will be published as a Home Office Research Study (HORS) early to mid-summer, 2002.
	Key findings from the research have been released (Home Office News Release, 12 February 2002). Annual economic costs (mainly to health service, criminal justice system and state benefits) are estimated to be between £3.7 billion and £6.8 billion. Adding social costs (mainly victim costs of crime) increases figures to between £10.9 billion and £18.8 billion. Problematic drug users account for around 99 per cent. of these costs with annual economic costs at £11,000 each compared with less than £20 for a non-problematic user.

Throckmorton

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the scope of the environmental impact assessment in relation to the proposed asylum accommodation centre at Throckmorton.

Angela Eagle: An environmental impact assessment will be included with the planning notification to be submitted shortly in relation to the proposed accommodation centre at Throckmorton. We are currently in discussions with Wychavon District Council to establish its scope.

Throckmorton

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for the planning process in relation to the application for the asylum accommodation centre at Throckmorton.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 20 May 2002
	We intend to submit a planning notification shortly. We will advise the hon. Member when the notification is submitted.

Asylum Accommodation Centres

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he estimates the first asylum accommodation centre will be open.

Angela Eagle: It is envisaged that the first centre will open in 2003.

Asylum Accommodation Centres

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the number of dependants of asylum seekers under 18-years-old who will be housed in pilot accommodation centres.

Angela Eagle: We have yet to make a final decision.

Asylum Seekers

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to deter applications for asylum from citizens of countries that have democratic benign Governments.

Angela Eagle: The White Paper 'Secure Borders, Safe Haven' and the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill set out a range of measures to create an effective end-to-end system which will enable us to return swiftly those not in need of protection. There are also measures to combat illegal entry and illegal working. These measures should deter those who attempt to pursue unfounded asylum applications in the United Kingdom.
	A key part of our strategy has been the use of the Oakington Reception Centre which allows us to process quickly those whose claims are determined to be manifestly unfounded.
	We have also operated pre-clearance operations in Prague and we have deployed a network of airline liaison officers to prevent improperly documented passengers travelling to the United Kingdom.

Asylum Seekers

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to establish an independent documentation centre to provide information about countries from which people have fled.

Angela Eagle: We have commissioned an evaluation of the content and accessibility of country information in the asylum process. This evaluation includes an assessment of whether the information provided by the Country Information Policy Unit, including the country assessments, meets the needs of its users. The finalised report will provide systematic, additional evidence on which to base decisions as to whether any further mechanisms might prove useful, and enable us to reach a decision on the need for an independent documentation centre.

Asylum Seekers

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill will allow families with children who are seeking asylum to be detained at the beginning of the asylum process.

Angela Eagle: The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill makes no change to the policy with regard to the detention of asylum seeking families. The policy for the detention of families is detailed in the White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven" which makes it clear that families may, when appropriate, be detained while their identities and basis of claim are established, or because there is a reasonable belief they would abscond, or as part of the fast-track asylum process at Oakington Reception Centre, or to effect their removal.

Asylum Seekers

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what research his Department is conducting on the return of dispersed asylum seekers to the Greater London area;
	(2)  how many asylum seekers dispersed from the Greater London area returned to live in London between April 2001 and April 2002.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 20 May 2002
	There are no statistics on the number of asylum seekers who have returned to London following dispersal to another area of the country. Nor are statistics available on those accepted as refugees or granted exceptional leave to remain (ELR) who, in both cases, are free to live where ever they like. The National Asylum Support Services (NASS) cannot require asylum seekers to remain in the accommodation provided. If they choose to leave the accommodation they can seek to alter their support package from subsistence and accommodation to subsistence only. Generally speaking asylum seekers are not provided with accommodation in London. The Home Office is currently reviewing the extent of and reasons for asylum seekers leaving their dispersal accommodation. The results will be made available as soon as possible following the completion of the project.

Ms Gracie Allen

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department will lodge an appeal about the adjudicator's decision over the visa application by Ms Gracie Allen (HO ref A1127781; Appeal No. THS 1272/2001); and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The Home Office has decided not to apply for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal against the adjudicator's decision to grant Mrs. Allen entry clearance.

European Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the initiative of Spain setting up a European network for the protection of public figures (2002/C42/08).

Bob Ainsworth: The Working Party on Police Co-operation meeting held on 5 to 6 February 2002, proposed the setting up of a European network for the protection of public figures to be chaired by the member state holding the Presidency of the Council. Its remit was to standardise the package of support and protection afforded to visiting dignitaries against agreed criteria, as well as the exchange of resources and information.
	Negotiations are ongoing and it is expected that a decision on the implementation of the Network's proposals will be taken in June. However, the Government feel that the United Kingdom (UK) has much to offer in the exchange of best practice ideas and procedures in the area of public figure protection. One of the key issues that the Government have sought to maintain is the principle that it is the right of the host state to determine the appropriate package of support according to the specific threat to the individual visiting that country. The network will have no power to make legislative changes to UK law.

Correspondence

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 17 April about Mrs. Roberta Parr and Miss Dominyka Gajauskite regarding their visa applications and the return of their Lithuanian passports for work purposes.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 20 May 2002
	My right hon. and noble Friend, Minister of State, Home Department (Lord Rooker), wrote to the hon. Member on 14 May 2002.

Drugs Offences

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been serving prison sentences for drugs offences in each year since 1979; and what percentage of the prison population this represents in each reporting period.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 21 May 2002
	Data on the number of people in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales broken down by type of offence on 30 June is published each year in 'Prison Statistics England and Wales' available in the Library.
	The Table shows the number of drug offenders received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in each year between 1992 (the earliest data available) and 2000 (the latest confirmed data available), and what percentage of the total sentenced receptions they represent in each year.
	
		% 
		
			  Number of drug offenders received Percentage of total sentenced receptions 
		
		
			 1992 3,636 5.2 
			 1993 3,761 5.2 
			 1994 3,953 4.7 
			 1995 5,206 5.8 
			 1996 6,412 7.7 
			 1997 7,371 8.5 
			 1998 7,655 8.4 
			 1999 7,844 8.3 
			 2000 7,353 7.8

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of animal experiments carried out in the last year for which figures are available were mandatory, pursuant to legislative requirements and where the use of non-animal alternatives would not have met those requirements.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 22 May 2002
	Under the provisions of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, animals can only be used in licensed scientific procedures when there is no alternative way to achieve the objective concerned, such as testing products using computer models, cell cultures and other in vitro methods. Animals are only used where fully justified and where the benefits outweigh the costs to the animals involved.
	The Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2000, the last year for which figures are available, records that procedures for toxicological purposes—the category where legislative testing requirements usually apply—accounted for 17 per cent. of all procedures started in 2000. This proportion compares with 20 per cent. in 1999 and 25 per cent. in 1995.
	The majority of these toxicology/safety procedures (some 84 per cent.)—amounting to just over 14 per cent. of all procedures carried out in all categories—were performed to conform to legislative requirements. The procedures of this type carried out for non-legislative purposes include studies for refinement or replacement of live animal use in safety testing, as well as ecological studies.
	It may be additionally worth noting that pharmaceutical safety/efficacy evaluation purposes accounted for 60 per cent. of all procedures for toxicology, other safety and efficacy evaluations, and that no procedures were performed in 2000 for the purpose of evaluating the safety of either cosmetic products or ingredients.

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require the numbers of animals bred for experimentation purposes but subsequently found to be unsuitable for such purposes or surplus to requirements to be included in the annual statistics on animal use under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 22 May 2002
	The published annual statistics relate solely to animals used in scientific procedures regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This meets the requirement, in section 21 of the Act, to provide related information to Parliament.
	With the exception of the production of genetically modified animals—which is itself a regulated procedure—the number of animals bred but not eventually used for scientific purposes has not been considered appropriate for inclusion in these statistics. The Government have at present no plans to change that.
	The Animal Procedures Committee looked at the issue of the over-breeding of animals for use in scientific procedures as part of its 10-year review of the 1986 Act. It concluded that although some over-breeding was unavoidable, it can and should be minimised, and it recommended principles of best practice to help to achieve this.
	The committee also undertook to liaise with the Laboratory Animal Science Association, which has also been considering the issue of over-breeding and how it can be minimised, to refine these principles before finalising its advice. I expect to receive the Committee's report by the summer and will carefully consider the further advice it provides.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the mandate is of the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community Action Programme to combat social exclusion; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The Programme Committee set up pursuant to Decision No. 50/2002/EC of 7 December 2001, establishing a programme of Community action to encourage co-operation between member states to combat social exclusion, is mandated to assist the Commission in implementing that Decision. It has met three times (once on an informal basis as it predated the coming into legal force of the Decision) over the last 12 months. The UK was represented by either one or two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions at these meetings. Costs to UK public funds were limited to their expenses, approximately £2,650, less reimbursements provided by the Commission. There are no items currently under consideration by the Programme Committee.
	The first annual report by the Commission required by Council Decision 1999/468/EC on the working of committees was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Commission Document COM (2001) 783 Final). The UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Roche: The legal basis for the fifth action programme (2001–05) is Article 13 of the Treaty and Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000. The programme is one of the components of the overall Community strategy on gender equality (which embraces a range of Community policies and action aimed at achieving gender equality), including both mainstreaming gender into general policies and targeting specific actions towards women.
	The committee which implements the programme is composed of member states' representatives. The current UK nominee is the responsible official in the Cabinet Office's Women and Equality Unit. It has met three times during the last 12 months. As per Article 6 of the Council Decision establishing the programme, the committee's agenda includes:
	the general guidelines for the implementation of the programme;
	the annual plan of work for the implementation of the programme's actions;
	the financial support to be supplied by the Community;
	the annual budget and the distribution of funding between the various actions of the programme;
	the procedures for selecting the actions to be supported by the Community and the draft list of actions to receive such support submitted by the Commission;
	the criteria for monitoring and evaluating the programme, in particular its costs-effectiveness, and the arrangements for the dissemination of results.
	The funds of the fifth action programme are made available by the commission to member states and to individual contractors. The programme has a financial reference amount for the period 2001–05 of 50 million euro, and a budget line of around 10 million euro/year.
	Travel costs for officials attending committee meetings are reimbursed by the European Commission; subsistence costs average less than £250 per year.
	The principles and conditions concerning public access to the committee's documents (Article 13 of the rules of procedure for the committee) are the same as those applying to commission documents. The European Scrutiny Committee receives Explanatory Memoranda about work undertaken under this programme.
	Together with member states, the commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Recruitment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many net additional staff his Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level.

Christopher Leslie: The net additional staff recruited in the Cabinet Office including Government Car and Despatch Agency and Central Office of Information since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level:
	
		
			  Executive officer level Administrative level  
			 Month/ Type of staff  Headcount Full-time equivalent  Headcount Full-time equivalent 
		
		
			 June 2001 
			 Permanent 3 3 2 2.11 
			 Casual 1 1 -1 -1 
			 Total 4 4 1 1.11 
			  
			 July 2001 
			 Permanent 0 0 0 0.33 
			 Casual 11 10.28 10 10 
			 Total 11 10.28 10 9.67 
			  
			 August 2001 
			 Permanent 3 3 0 0.39 
			 Casual -1 -1 -7 -7 
			 Total 2 2 -7 -6.61 
			  
			 September 2001 
			 Permanent 3 3 2 2 
			 Casual -1 -1 -8 -8 
			 Total 2 2 -6 -6 
			  
			 October 2001 
			 Permanent 5 5 4 3.9 
			 Casual 1 0.8 5 4.67 
			 Total 6 5.8 9 8.57 
			  
			 November 2001 
			 Permanent -1 -0.61 2 0.13 
			 Casual 2 2 0 -0.24 
			 Total 1 1.39 2 -0.11 
			  
			 December 2001 
			 Permanent 2 2 2 2 
			 Casual 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 2 2 2 2 
			  
			 January 2002 
			 Permanent 7 7 4 4 
			 Casual 2 2 6 6 
			 Total 9 9 10 10 
			 February 2002 
			 Permanent 4 3.67 -5 -5 
			 Casual 1 0.59 1 1.24 
			 Total 5 4.26 -4 -3.76 
			  
			 March 2002 
			 Permanent 3 3 -4 -4.5 
			 Casual 1 1.72 -2 -1.4 
			 Total 4 4.72 -6 -5.9

Civil Servants

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many job vacancies there were at (a) administrative assistant or equivalent, (b) administrative officer or equivalent, (c) administrative executive officer, (d) higher executive officer, (e) senior executive officer, (f) grade 7 principal and (g) all positions above grade 7 level in each Government Department for jobs located in (i) London and (ii) the south-east in each year since 1995.

Christopher Leslie: This information is not held centrally for all Government Departments; the following is for the Cabinet Office only.
	Recruitment records have been held electronically and centrally since 1 April 2001; therefore the figures provided are for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 only. Figures prior to 1 April 2001 and divided between London and the south-east could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Figures on Government Office's senior civil service posts advertised could not be provided as Government offices do not collect this information centrally.
	
		
			 Grade/payband Number of posts advertised 
		
		
			 Senior civil service 38 
			 Band A (grade 6 and 7) 159 
			 Band B2 (grade HEO and SEO) 232 
			 Band B1 (grade EO) 195 
			 Band C2 (grade AO) 214 
			 Band C1 (grade AA) 58

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is being done to increase the usage of Government Departments and agencies websites and the take-up of their electronic services.

Christopher Leslie: A survey published by the Office for National Statistics in April 2002 shows that 19 per cent. of UK internet users have used or accessed government/official services online.
	The UK online national media campaign is playing a key role in persuading more individuals to get online and enjoy the benefits of e-commerce and e-government services. In addition, the range and scope of take-up targets for e-services are being considered as part of the Spending Review.

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made by each Government Department and agency towards the Prime Minister's target for electronically available services by 2005.

Christopher Leslie: The last survey of Department's progress in meeting the target showed that just over half of services (274) are available electronically. The following breakdown by Departments and agencies was included in the National Audit Office report, "Better Public Services through e-government", published on 4 April 2002:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 British Trade International 1 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 4 
			 Department for Education and Skills 36 
			 Department for International Development 2 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 54 
			 Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 45 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 5 
			 Department of Health 14 
			 Department of Trade and Industry 32 
			 Export Credits Guarantee Department 2 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 8 
			 HM Treasury 6 
			 Home Office 29 
			 Land Registry 1 
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 4 
			 Ministry of Defence 14 
			 Office for National Statistics 3 
			 Ordnance Survey 7 
			 Public Record Office 7

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps are being taken to encourage Government sector agencies to put in place management information to monitor usage of their websites and electronic services, and to play back this information to the content providers and divisions responsible for originating web materials and internet services.

Christopher Leslie: Since December 1999 Government webmasters have been tasked with collecting particular statistics on usage. This advice has been updated and revised in the "Guidelines for UK Government Websites: Framework for Senior Managers" published in November 2001.
	A much larger handbook for web management teams, that was widely consulted on within Government for a year and is scheduled for final publication in mid-May, recommends customer relationship management techniques and other means for ensuring evaluation of websites. The forthcoming "Quality Framework for UK Government Web Design" gives guidance in building in user testing in order to continually improve website content.
	A newly-developed central infrastructure being delivered by the Office of the e-Envoy will provide central server hosting and applications. A new statistical analysis solution will be part of the offering for Departments that use this service.

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister of the central Government Departments and agencies required to meet the Prime Minister's target for electronically available services by 2005, how many hits the (a) most and (b) least used have received in the last year; and what steps are being taken to analyse user behaviour.

Christopher Leslie: The latest Office for National Statistics data shows that 3.84 million citizens use the internet to use or access Government services.
	Since 1999 all Government websites have been given guidance on the key statistics they should collect. The "Guidelines for UK Government Websites" specify that at a minimum:
	the number of users (visitors)
	number of visits (unique visits)
	and number of page impressions (page views) should be collected. Further performance and access statistics are recommended in addition to these minimum statistics.
	However, such information is not currently collated centrally. The Government are examining the nature and adequacy of the statistics available on Government websites as part of the process of considering its response to the NAO report, 'Government on the Web II'.

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the role played by the development of electronic public services in making the UK a congenial location for e-business and e-commerce to develop.

Christopher Leslie: The Government recognise the key role played by electronic service delivery on the development of the UK's e-commerce environment. The scale of Government interaction with business and the public, through its own supply and distribution chains, places it in a position to be a strong driver of e-commerce.
	A broad assessment was published in "e-commerce@its.best.uk" in 1999. Subsequently our strategy for leveraging e-Government as a key driver for growth of the wider e-economy has been set out in the UK online annual reports published by the e-Minister and the e-Envoy in 2000 and 2001.

Electronic Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he publishes about the development of central Government services on the web.

Christopher Leslie: The second UK online annual report was published by the e-Minister and e-Envoy in December 2001. The report sets out the progress that has been made in meeting the Government's objectives for being at the forefront of the knowledge economy.
	Among its five overarching themes is 'getting Government online'. The report also provides an updated UK online strategy, setting out the commitments made by the Government to further the e-Agenda.
	Each month, the e-Minister and e-Envoy provide a joint report to the Prime Minister. These reports set out the progress on the UK online strategy.
	There are also a number of development frameworks and guidance documents published. Among the key documents are:
	e-Government Interoperability Framework Version 4
	e-Government Metadata Standard
	Guidelines for UK Government Websites: Framework for Senior Managers
	Framework for e-Service Delivery.
	All these documents can be downloaded for the publication option on the office of the e-Envoy website www.e-envoy.gov.uk.
	Information on the Government Gateway is available from: http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/gateway—partnerlink/

Disclosure of Interests

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what rules apply to the disclosure of interests on the part of those serving on public bodies which are responsible to his Department.

Christopher Leslie: All advisory and executive non- departmental public bodies are required to adopt a board members' code, based on guidance produced by my Department, and they should have registers of interests. The definition of interests is ultimately for individual Departments since they are best placed to decide what might be thought to influence members of their NDPBs.
	The table lists the NDPBs sponsored by this Department and in each case indicates what the relevant Code of Practice is and where it is available.
	
		
			  Name of body  Board members code of practice Code of practice for board members of advisory NDPBs  Where available 
		
		
			 Advisory Committee on Advertising  Yes Upon request from the secretary 
			 Advisory Committee on Business Appointments  Under review Not yet available 
			 Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace for Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside  Yes Upon request from the secretary 
			 Better Regulation Taskforce  Yes Upon request from the secretary 
			 Civil Service Appeal Board  Yes On request from the secretary 
			 Committee on Standards in Public Life  Yes On internet at www.public-standards.gov.uk or on request from the secretary 
			 Equal Opportunities Commission Yes  Incorporated in the EOC corporate governance document—available from the EOC 
			 Honours Scrutiny Committee   No code in place. (Interest declared on the House of Lords' Register) 
			 House of Lords Appointments Commission  Yes On internet at www.houseoflordsappointmentscommission.gov.uk or on request from the secretary 
			 Security Commission  Yes On request from the secretary 
			 Security Vetting Appeals Panel  Yes On request from the secretary 
			 Senior Salaries Review Body  Under review Not yet available 
			 Women's National Commission  Yes On request from the Women's National Commission

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent by his Department on paying pensions to retired employees of his Department in 2001–02; if he will estimate the corresponding amounts to be spent in (a) five years' time, (b) 10 years' time, (c) 20 years' time and (d) 30 years' time; if he will estimate in each case the proportion of such liabilities which will arise from (i) unfunded pension schemes and (ii) pre-funded pension schemes; and in the case of pre-funded schemes, if he will estimate the value of the corresponding pre-funded funds in each of these years.

Christopher Leslie: The Cabinet Office has responsibility for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS)—the occupational pension arrangement for civil servants.
	The PCSPS is an unfunded public service scheme made under the Superannuation Act 1972. all payments of pension and related benefits to former members of the PCSPS or their dependants are made from the Civil Superannuation Vote, for which the Cabinet Office are accountable.
	Net expenditure on civil service pension and related benefits for the year 2001–02 was as follows:
	
		Expenditure—2001–02
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			 Gross 2.8 
			 Net of employer and employee contributions 1.4 
		
	
	Estimated net expenditure in five years' time, 10 years' time, 20 years' time and 30 years' time is estimated by GAD as follows:
	
		Expenditure -- £ billion
		
			  Gross Net of employer and employee contributions 
		
		
			 5 years 3.0 1.1 
			 10 years 3.2 1.2 
			 20 years 3.6 1.6 
			 30 years 3.7 1.6 
		
	
	New pension arrangements for the civil service are being introduced from 1 October 2002. These will give existing staff the choice between remaining in the existing scheme or moving to a new defined benefit scheme; new entrants will have a choice between joining the new defined benefit scheme or a good quality defined contribution arrangement. It has been assumed, solely for the purpose of these projections, that:
	all existing staff will opt to remain in the existing scheme and continue to pay an employee contribution of 1.5 per cent. of pay; and
	all new entrants will opt to join the new defined benefit scheme with an employee contribution of 3.5 per cent. of pay.
	Options exercised by existing staff and new entrants are likely to differ from these assumptions but:
	in circumstances where the future pattern of options is not known; and
	the changes in pension arrangement are cost neutral for employers the projections provide a reasonable estimate of future expenditure.
	Constant earnings, as at 2001–02, have been assumed throughout.

Temporary Staff

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many employees under contract from temping agencies were working in his Department and how much was spent on temporary staff (a) as a total and (b) as a percentage of the total staffing budget in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Christopher Leslie: The number of employees working in the Cabinet Office under contract from temping agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Estimated expenditure on temporary staff in the Cabinet Office is as follows:
	
		
			 Year £000 Percentage of total staffing budget 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,135 2.1 
			 1998–99 1,589 2.6 
			 1999–2000 1,907 2.7 
			 2000–01 3,250 4.0 
		
	
	Final figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.
	The figures include the Central Office of Information which, although not part of the Cabinet Office, also reports to me.

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many days of sick leave were taken in his Department last year; how many related to employees suffering from (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to his Department.

Christopher Leslie: Cabinet Office publishes an analysis of sickness absence in the civil service each year. The most recently published figures (available on the Cabinet office website) are for calendar year 2000. Cabinet Office Departments (which included in that year GCDA and COI but not RCU) had an average of 4.6 working days absence per staff year.
	The report estimates the overall cost of sickness absence within the civil service but does not provide a breakdown by Department.
	Cabinet Office's internal records show the following levels of absence for (a) stress related illness and (b) other mental health problems.
	
		
			 2001 Number 
		
		
			 Working days lost through:  
			 stress related illness and sickness 1,321 
			 other mental health illness 0 
		
	
	Neither GCDA nor COI holds this information.
	A breakdown of the specific cost of these absences is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Cabinet Office is committed to improving levels of attendance. It is aware of its responsibilities as an employer to provide a safe and healthy working environment and is actively working to ensure that working days lost through work-related injury or illness are minimal.

TREASURY

Unpaid Advisers

Alan Beith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 246W, what the (a) names and (b) responsibilities are of unpaid advisers who have assisted the work of his Department since June 1997 but are not included in (i) the Cabinet Office's annual report "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews 2000–01" and (ii) his previous answer.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 21 May 2002
	There is nothing I can usefully add to my answer of 10 April.

Disclosure of Interests

Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rules apply to the disclosure of interests on the part of those serving on public bodies which are responsible to his Department.

Ruth Kelly: All advisory and executive non- departmental public bodies are required to adopt a board members' code, based on guidance produced by the Cabinet Office, and they should have registers of members' interests. The definition of interests is ultimately for individual Departments since they are best placed to decide what might be thought to influence members of their NDPBs.
	The following table lists the NDPBs sponsored by this Department and in each case indicates what the relevant Code of Practice is; where it is available and where information may be found on registers of members interests.
	
		
			 Name and status of body Location of Code of Practice and register of members interests 
		
		
			 Statistics Commission(15) Published on Statistics Commission public website (address www.statscom.org.uk, in the "how we operate section"). Also available in that section is the register of Commissioners' interests 
			 Public Service Productivity Panel(15) The panel's Code of Conduct is available on application to the secretary of the panel, and will soon be available on the HM Treasury website (address http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Documents/Public Spending and Services/Public Services Productivity Panel/pss psp backgrd.cfm) 
			  The register of members interests is in the process of being updated and the new version will be available on the panel's web 
		
	
	(15) Advisory NDPB

National Insurance (Care Homes)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the increased revenue from national insurance employees' contribution from the care home sector.

Dawn Primarolo: I regret that it would be possible to provide a reliable estimate only at disproportionate cost.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the mandate of the Committee on the mutual assistance in customs and agricultural markets, including operation of the CIS is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The legal base for the Committee on mutual assistance on customs and agricultural matters is set out in Council Regulation (EC) No. 515/97. It has a mandate to examine all matters relating to the application of this regulation and the effectiveness of its operation.
	The Committee has met three times in the last 12 months.
	Representation is normally two officials from HM Customs and Excise. Officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Office of the Information Commissioner also attend when necessary.
	Travel expenses for two officials are reimbursed by the Commission. The usual cost of overnight accommodation and subsistence per day per official is 217.95 euro (£134.70).
	The main item under consideration at present is the development of the Customs Information System, an automated information system being set up to assist in preventing, investigating and prosecuting operations which are in breach of customs or agricultural legislation.
	Accountability and transparency to Parliament are ensured by the regular EU scrutiny process: documents agreed by various Council (ECOFIN, JHA, etc.) are submitted to Parliament along with explanatory memorandums and are examined by the Scrutiny Committees.

Mortgage Rates

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average mortgage rate was in each of the last 20 years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 23 May 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the average mortgage rate in each of the last 20 years. (58665)
	The rates shown below are compiled by the Financial Services Authority. They are average rates for mortgages with Building Societies. Comparable figures prior to 1984 are not available.
	
		Average rates for mortgages with building societies, 1984–2001(16)
		
			  Average rate(17) Basic rate(18) 
		
		
			 1984 12.19 11.88 
			 1985 13.01 12.75 
			 1986 12.32 12.30 
			 1987 10.34 10.30 
			 1988 12.75 12.77 
			 1989 14.44 14.42 
			 1990 14.34 14.48 
			 1991 11.39 11.52 
			 1992 8.98 8.98 
			 1993 7.94 7.99 
			 1994 7.84 8.14 
			 1995 7.48 7.98 
			 1996 6.51 7.00 
			 1997 7.58 8.16 
			 1998 7.29 7.75 
			 1999 6.49 6.77 
			 2000 6.65 7.31 
			 2001 5.17 5.34 
		
	
	(16) The average rates are based on information provided by building societies. The figures reflect rates at the end of the year.
	(17) These data represent the weighted average of individual reporters' own weighted average rates on their overall residential loan book.
	(18) These data represent the weighted average of the individual reporters' standard variable (headline) rate applying to the majority of mortgage accounts at the end of reporting period.

Unemployment

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will restore the 1979 methods of calculating the official level of unemployment;
	(2)  if he will estimate the level of current unemployment using methods of counting claimants used in 1979;
	(3)  what changes were made between 1979 and 1997 to the way in which the official level of unemployment was calculated.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Paul Holmes, dated 23 May 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary questions; (a) if he will restore the 1979 methods of calculating the official level of unemployment, (b) if he will estimate the level of current unemployment using methods of claimants used in 1979 and (c) what changes were made between 1979 and 1997 to the way in which the official level of unemployment was calculated. (58758, 58759, 58760)
	The monthly measure of UK unemployment used in 1979 was the count of registrants at Jobcentres. This was based on an administrative system which no longer exists. Consequently it is not possible to restore the 1979 method of calculation nor to estimate the current level on the same basis.
	Since April 1998, monthly statistics of unemployment in the UK have been compiled and published, following the internationally standard definition, from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). This counts as unemployed people who are: a) without a paid job; b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. The Labour Force Survey measure of unemployment has been compiled and published on the same definition—following the guidelines of the International Labour Organisation—since 1984.
	The ONS also publishes monthly statistics of the numbers of people who are claiming unemployment-related benefits, known as the claimant count. Details of changes which have affected the coverage or calculation of these monthly figures between 1979 and 1997 are detailed in articles in the November 1995 and April 1998 editions of Labour Market Trends.

Tonnage Tax

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the tonnage tax.

Dawn Primarolo: The tonnage tax was introduced in 2000 as part of a package of measures to revive the UK shipping industry. In accordance with commitments given at the time, I am asking the Inland Revenue to begin a review of the way the regime is operating. As the review develops, it will contribute to the Government's evaluation of the whole package of measures including the impact on employment and training. Details about how representations can be made to the review will be available on the Inland Revenue's website. www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/consult–new/tonnagetax.pdf

Departmental Land

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the land that his Department is (a) offering for sale and (b) plans to offer in the next 12 months, giving its (i) location and (ii) size.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury does not plan to sell any land over this period.

European Council Decisions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards Recital 22 of Council Decision 2002/177/EC (OJ L60, 1 Mar 02), on making visible a gender perspective across all pillars.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	Council Decision 2202/177/EC, dated 18 February 2002, is on the 'guidelines for member states employment policies for the year 2002'. Recital 22 states that member states should strengthen their efforts to include and make visible a gender perspective across all the pillars (of the Employment Guidelines). This Recital clarifies the intention of the Council, and reflects the wishes of the European Parliament, that gender equality should be a horizontal objective for member states when they take the Guidelines into account in their national employment policies.
	The UK Government fully supports the principle that a concern for gender equality needs to be reflected across the full range of employment policy. The Government principally achieves that outcome through the Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment Guidelines, issued to all Departments in November 1998, and through the Gender Impact Assessment framework, which will be produced during 2002–03.
	The website of the Women and Equality Unit of the Cabinet Office publicises this activity, which is also reported on in the UK Employment Action Plan 2002, along with a gender breakdown of performance data. The LKP will be placed in the Library shortly.

Customs and Excise

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the (a) size of fleet and (b) type and age of vehicles was in each division of Customs and Excise in the last three years;
	(2)  what percentage of the vehicle fleet of Customs and Excise were equipped with online computer terminals in each of the last three years.

Paul Boateng: Like all their equipment and staff, Customs' vehicles are deployed in a flexible way based on the latest assessments of risk, rather than located exclusively in any one region. On a national basis, the total Customs' vehicle fleet has increased from 2,085 in 1999–2000 to 2,143 in 2001–02.
	The average age of the vehicle fleet has remained constant at around 4.5 years. The proportions of different vehicle types which make up the fleet have also remained broadly constant with approximately 78.3 per cent. designated as cars, 8 per cent. as car-derived vans, 8.5 per cent. as light commercial vehicles and 5.2 per cent. as specialist/heavy goods vehicles.
	The percentage of the vehicle fleet fitted with online computer terminals, used either for satellite navigation or covert tracking, has risen from approximately 3 per cent. in 1999–2000 to approximately 8 per cent. in 2001–02.

Customs and Excise

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed at the HM Customs and Excise Coventry International Hub in each year since 1995.

Paul Boateng: HM Customs and Excise's station at Coventry International HUB opened in October 1999.
	Staff employed (headcount) at the station in 2000, 2001 and 2002 (1 April each year) were as follows:
	
		
			  Number of staff employed 
		
		
			 2000 63 
			 2001 68 
			 2002 59

Funding (Luton, South)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what moneys have been provided (a) directly and (b) via agencies for which the Department has responsibility to the Luton, South constituency since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury's expenditure relates to the conduct of national economic and financial policies. It does not make grants or other payments which can be attributed to individual parts of the country.

Negative Equity

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of mortgage holders experiencing negative equity in each of the last 20 years.

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury do not make estimates of negative equity. Estimates from the DTLR are shown in the table. Figures were not produced pre-1989, and have not been produced post-1997 on the grounds that with rising house prices the number of cases are likely to be negligible.
	
		DTLR end year estimates of numbers of mortgage holders with negative equity
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 1989 78 
			 1990 340 
			 1991 507 
			 1992 1,221 
			 1993 894 
			 1994 677 
			 1995(19) 907 
			 1996(19) 226 
			 1997(19) 30 
		
	
	(19) Different methodology used for estimates from 1995.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the objective of the preliminary technical work on the five economic tests which is being carried out by the Treasury is; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the comments I made during the adjournment debate on the preliminary and technical work held on the Floor of the House on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 267.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many times the Cross-party Committee on Euro Preparations has met since 7 June 2001; what meetings are planned over the next six months; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the recent work of the Cross-party Euro Preparations Committee.

Ruth Kelly: The Cross-party Group on Euro Preparations has met on five occasions since 7 June 2001. The Group continues to hold regular meetings looking at euro preparations from the perspective of different sectors of the UK economy. Recent meetings of the Cross-party Group on Euro Preparations have focused on the cash changeover in the euro area, UK business preparations for working with the euro now, and public sector euro preparations.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) special advisers have had since 1 January with Conservative hon. Members on the subject of the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: Ministers and special advisers from HM Treasury have had no meetings since 1 January with Conservative hon. Members on the subject of the euro.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the time it will take to assess whether the five economic tests for euro entry have been met, from the time when the assessment is begun; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether it is his policy to make a public statement when the preliminary technical work on the five economic tests for euro entry is completed and the formal assessment of the tests is begun; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether he has started the assessment of the five economic tests for membership of the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 2 July, Official Report, column 67W.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will publish the preliminary technical work so far completed on the five economic tests for the euro; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the recent progress on the preliminary technical work relating to the five economic tests for membership of the euro.

Ruth Kelly: The assessment has not yet started, but the preliminary analysis—technical work that is necessary to allow us to undertake the assessment within two years as we promised—is under way. The Government have said that they will complete the assessment within two years of the start of this Parliament. Once the assessment is complete, the Government will publish the conclusions and the report.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many individuals within HM Treasury were working on the preliminary technical work on the five economic tests on the latest day for which information is available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people in the Treasury will be involved in the formal assessment of the five economic tests for euro entry; who they are; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  which (a) units and (b) individuals within HM Treasury will complete the work to establish whether the UK has met the five economic tests for euro entry; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether HM Treasury will be involving officials from other Departments in the final evaluation of the five economic tests for euro entry;
	(5)  whether HM Treasury is involving officials from any other Government Departments in the preliminary technical work on the five economic tests for euro entry; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the comments I made during the adjournment debate on the preliminary and technical work held on the Floor of the House on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 268.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what opinion polling has been carried out by his Department since 7 June 2001 into public attitudes to the euro; what the cost has been of such polling; if he will publish the results; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: No opinion polling into public attitudes to the euro has been carried out by HM Treasury either since 7 June 2001, or before then.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the outside academic work which has been commissioned since June 2001 by HM Treasury as part of the preliminary work on the assessment of the five economic tests for euro entry; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 6 February, Official Report, column 959W.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had since 1 January with Ministers from the Department of Trade and Industry about the Government's plans for the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor has regular discussions with Ministers in other Government Departments on a wide range of issues.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had since 1 January with (a) trade unionists, (b) business leaders and (c) the CBI, about Government policy on the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor frequently meets representatives from outside organisations to discuss a range of issues.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had since 1 January with other EU Governments about British policy on the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor has frequent discussions on a wide range of issues with his European counterparts.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals from the Bank of England are seconded to HM Treasury to work on the preliminary technical work on the euro; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the comments I made during the Adjournment debate on the Floor of the House on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 268.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relative positions in the economic cycle of the United Kingdom in relation to the economy of the euro zone; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government will not give a running commentary on the five tests. The assessment of the five economic tests has not yet started, but the necessary preliminary analysis—technical work that is necessary to allow us to undertake the assessment within two years as promised—is under way.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed within the euro preparations section of HM Treasury; how many were employed on (a) 31 December 2000 and (b) 31 December 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The number of staff in the Euro Preparations Unit in the Treasury on the dates requested is as follows:
	
		
			  EPU staffing(20) 
		
		
			 31 December 2000 12 
			 31 December 2001 14 
			 1 April 2002 14 
		
	
	(20) Full-time equivalents
	The aims and objectives of the Euro Preparations Unit were set out in Treasury Press Notice 156/97 of 5 December 1997.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made recently of the competitiveness of the pound against the euro; and if he will make a statement

Ruth Kelly: The Government do not comment on day-to-day developments in the value of sterling, as they believe this could have destabilising effects. However, a stable and competitive exchange rate is sought over the medium-term.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications of British membership of the euro for British fiscal policy autonomy; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have said that they will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament. All relevant economic issues will be dealt with as part of the assessment.

Growth Rate

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he predicts that the Scottish GDP growth rate will match the overall UK GDP growth rate.

Ruth Kelly: Neither the UK Government nor the Scottish Executive produce GDP forecasts for Scotland, or any other country or region of the UK.

Growth Rate

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what levels of growth the Scottish GDP would have to attain in 2002–03 to keep pace with the projected EU average.

Ruth Kelly: The latest EC GDP growth forecast for the EU-15 in 2002 and 2003, as published on 24 April 2002 in 'European Economy—Economic Forecasts Spring 2002' (ref no. 2/2002), was 1.5 per cent. and 2.9 per cent. respectively.

Growth Rate

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he devised the UK GDP growth rate that was announced in the Budget.

Ruth Kelly: The Government's latest forecasts for UK GDP growth are based on a comprehensive assessment of domestic and world economic developments and prospects, as set out in Chapter B of the Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC592). This assessment takes into account a wide range of economic data from official and private sector sources.

Growth Rate

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the GDP growth rate for Scotland was in each of the last five years for which data was available; what it is projected to be for this year; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Scottish Executive produces a constant price index of Scottish Output (Gross Value Added). These data are available on the Scottish Executive website.
	Neither the Scottish Executive nor the UK Government produce GDP forecasts for Scotland or any of the other countries and regions of the UK.

National Insurance Fund

David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the size of the usable surplus in the national insurance fund; and what restrictions there are on the future use of the fund.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the report of the Government Actuary (Cm 5383) published in February 2002. The report estimates the receipts of and payments from the national insurance fund for the years 2001–02 and 2002–03 and the balance in the fund at the start and end of each year. Under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 the national insurance fund can only be spent on contributory benefits and related expenditure, and certain redundancy payments. Any surplus is invested in Government securities.

Offshore Tax Havens

David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent research his Department has commissioned on the effects of company offshore tax havens on United Kingdom tax revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue regularly monitor the effects of other jurisdictions' tax policies on UK tax revenues.

EU Tax Harmonisation

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on tax harmonisation within the European Union.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's approach to EU tax issues is based on fair tax competition rather than tax harmonisation.

EU Stability and Growth Pact

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department is making in working with other EU Governments to reform the Stability and Growth Pact; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government support a prudent interpretation of the Stability Pact, which takes into account the impact of the economic cycle, sustainability and the important role of public investment. We continue to discuss this with our EU colleagues.

Equitable Life

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the final report by Lord Penrose into Equitable Life; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 214W.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances special advisers within his Department see draft answers to parliamentary questions; whether they make comments on these; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 958W.

Bank of England Governor

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to announce the appointment of the next Governor of the Bank of England; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 21 March 2002, Official Report, column 523W.

Temporary Staff

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees under contract from temping agencies were working in his Department and how much was spent on temporary staff (a) as a total and (b) as a percentage of the total staffing budget in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 22 May 2002
	The total cost of temp services for the last five financial years along with a comparative percentage of total staffing costs is as follows:
	
		
			  Temp costs £ Percentage of total staffing costs 
		
		
			 1997–98 156,823 0.5 
			 1998–99 462,521 1.4 
			 1999–2000 614,706 1.7 
			 2000–01 929,800 2.4 
			 2001–02 1,012,776 2.4 
		
	
	Actual numbers of staff under contract from temping agencies are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

Mobility Products

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a statutory code of practice governing the sale of mobility products for elderly people.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	I have agreed to meet Age Concern to discuss their recent report on sales techniques used in selling assistive products. There are however no plans to introduce a statutory code of practice.

Job Advertisements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the job advertisements placed by his Department in the last 12 months specifying where the advertisements were placed and the cost in each case.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table. Details of where the advertisements are placed are not centrally recorded. Regional offices and agency recruitment details are not collated centrally.
	Senior and specialist posts are advertised nationally and/or in specialist press.
	The Department has a robust external recruitment policy which complies with the rules and requirements of "Minister's Rules for Selection", "The Civil Service Order Council", Treasury and equal opportunity and employment protection legislation.
	
		£ 
		
			 Job vacancy Advertising cost 
		
		
			 Admin and secretarial posts 52,885.54 
			 Branch head posts 81,905.87 
			 Business manager posts 16,843.15 
			 Communications specialist posts 69,031.88 
			 Director posts 88,261.90 
			 Economist/analyst posts 51,629.96 
			 Human resource professional posts 13,587.70 
			 Information/librarian specialist posts 4,282.88 
			 Local public service agreement coordinator posts 3,390.56 
			 Management accountant posts 5,710.88 
			 Mental health group manager posts 2,286.93 
			 Policy officer posts 12,192.73 
			 Primary care nursing adviser posts 4,789.76 
			 Pharmaceutical specialist posts 10,262.17 
			 Project manager posts 20,821.26 
			 Researcher posts 12,803.15 
			 Risk management officer and quality inspector posts 15,108.32 
			 Scientific specialist posts 10,211.78 
			 Senior auditor posts 9,486.76 
			 Senior forensic mental health specialist posts 2,670.46 
			 Senior medical officer posts 17,243.81 
			 Senior quality assurance coordinator posts 10,979.32 
			 Social services inspectors posts 14,435.67 
			 Valuing people regional worker posts 3,188.20 
			 Web development manager posts 4,753.49 
			  
			 Total cost 538,764.00 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health central recruitment data March 2001 to February 2002.

RSV

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) cost-effectiveness and (c) affordability of a programme of RSV immunisation for (i) all premature infants before their first or second winter and (ii) infants with a history of, or with, a lung or heart condition.

Yvette Cooper: The Department of Health has not undertaken a study to assess the cost effectiveness of a programme of respiratory syncytial virus immunisation in premature infants and those with a history of a lung or heart condition. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has considered this and has asked for more information.

Oral Contraceptive Pills

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many oral contraceptive pills were dispensed to teenage girls in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) region.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The information requested is not collected by the Department. Data on general practitioners prescriptions are not broken down by age.
	Information about the number of first contacts with girls age under 16, and between 16 and 19 years of age at family planning clinics, where the primary method of birth control was the oral contraceptive, is given below. The figures for England are published in "NHS Contraceptive Services, England: 2000–01", a copy of which is available in the Library.
	Because regional health authority boundaries changed in April 1998, the information is presented in two tables, one for the pre-1998 boundaries and one for the boundaries introduced in 1998.
	First contacts with teenage girls at family planning clinics where the primary method of birth control was the oral contraceptive.
	
		(a) 1996–97 and 1997–98: Health regions in existence before April 1998
		
			  Age under 16 Age 16–19 
		
		
			 England 22,968 110,115 
			 Regions 1996–97   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 3,979 14,372 
			 Trent 2,464 9,070 
			 Anglia and Oxford 1,787 9,968 
			 North Thames 2,528 15,826 
			 South Thames 3,081 16,265 
			 South and West 2,912 14,876 
			 West Midlands 2,706 13,169 
			 North West 3,511 16,569 
			
			 1997–98   
			 England 22,675 115,879 
			 Regions 1996–97   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 3,788 16,861 
			 Trent 2,421 9,086 
			 Anglia and Oxford 1,712 9,776 
			 North Thames 2,431 17,087 
			 South Thames 3,506 17,037 
			 South and West 2,864 15,186 
			 West Midlands 2,475 13,217 
			 North West 3,478 17,647 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics Division SD2B, form KT31
	
		(b) 1998–99 to 2000–01: New health regions from 1998
		
			  Age under 16 Age 16–19 
		
		
			 1998–99   
			 England 21,830 114,959 
			 New regions from 1998–99   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 3,922 15,719 
			 Trent 2,309 9,283 
			 Eastern 1,491 10,691 
			 London 3,232 19,416 
			 South East 3,412 17,748 
			 South West 2,094 10,440 
			 West Midlands 2,297 13,678 
			 North West 3,073 17,984 
			 1999–2000   
			 England 22,736 118,752 
			 New regions from 1998–99   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 3,939 16,201 
			 Trent 2,479 2,524 
			 Eastern 1,733 10,806 
			 London 3,251 20,698 
			 South East 3,811 19,394 
			 South West 1,560 9,215 
			 West Midlands 2,726 14,248 
			 North West 3,237 18,666 
			
			 2000–01   
			 England 23,911 116,682 
			 New regions from 1998–99   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 3,930 16,342 
			 Trent 2,522 9,676 
			 Eastern 1,814 10,406 
			 London 3,494 19,707 
			 South East 4,072 18,798 
			 South West 1,614 8,174 
			 West Midlands 2,773 14,194 
			 North West 3,692 19,385 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics Division SD2B, form KT31

Hearing Aids

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how long the average wait has been to receive an NHS hearing aid in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how old the average recipient of an NHS hearing aid has been in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many people have been on a waiting list to receive an NHS hearing aid in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available centrally. However according to the Institute of Hearing Research, the mean age of adults supplied with hearing aids as part of the modernising hearing aid services project is 71 (with a median age of 74). The Department is working in partnership with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to modernise hearing aid services. The project includes provision of digital hearing aids as part of a modernised service designed to meet the needs of people with hearing impairments. Over £30 million has been invested to support the modernisation project.

Mount Vernon Hospital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors and nurses have worked in each service provided at Mount Vernon hospital in each of the last 10 years; and how many doctor and nurse vacancies there have been in each service provided in each of the last 10 years.

John Hutton: The information requested will be placed in the Library.

Mount Vernon Hospital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services are provided at Mount Vernon hospital; how many patients were treated as (a) out- patients and (b) in-patients in each of the last five years, broken down by service area; whether each of the services will continue to be provided in the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Hillingdon Hospital National Health Service Trust provides the following services on the Mount Vernon site: general medical and surgical out- patient care (including orthopaedics and urology), endoscopy day care and in-patient general surgery, urology, orthopaedics, rehabilitation and continuing care.
	West Hertfordshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust provides specialist services on site such as cancer services and burns and plastics. They also provide pharmacy, medical physics and haematology services.
	The future of cancer services at Mount Vernon is currently under review. The long term review of the Mount Vernon cancer network and centre is scheduled to be published in June 2002. A review of burns and plastics services has already been undertaken and these services are due to move to the Northwick Park site by 2004.
	Information is not collected centrally with regard to the number of patients treated as in-patients and out-patients in each of the last five years, broken down by service area. The data are collected annually at NHS trust level, rather than by individual hospital site. NHS trusts provide health care but may provide it at more than one hospital site.

Smoking Czar

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 276W, when (a) he and (b) his Ministers last met Nikki Griffiths of his Tobacco Policy Team.

Yvette Cooper: No meetings have taken place between Nikki Griffiths, alliance network co-ordinator, and either my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health or any of his ministerial colleagues.

Renal Transplant Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the relative benefits of transferring renal services from St. George's to St. Helier hospitals.

John Hutton: 10 criteria were considered as part of the assessment of the relative benefits of centralising transplantation services at Epsom and St. Helier national health service trust, St. George's healthcare national health service trust or Guy's and St. Thomas' national health service trust. These criteria included access; clinical quality; standard of facilities; staff recruitment and retention; strategic fit; education, training and research; clinical links; resource effectiveness and affordability; achievability; methods for patient and carer involvement. These criteria were agreed by clinical and managerial staff of Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority, Brighton and Sussex university hospitals national healthcare service trust, St. George's healthcare national healthcare service trust, Epsom and St. Helier national healthcare service trust, their kidney patient associations and Merton and Sutton community health council.
	Proposals to centralise services at St. George's hospital are currently subject to a three month public consultation which concludes on 25 June 2002.

NHS Appointments (Non-attendance)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will rank in order of non-attendance the level of failed appointments in each health authority for each hospital in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

John Hutton: Data on the number of failed appointments due to non-attendance are not available at health authority or hospital level.
	Data ranked by the level of failed appointments due to non-attendance in national health service trusts during 2000–01 have been placed in the Library.

NHS Dentistry

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to increase the number of dentists taking NHS patients in the Boston and Skegness constituency.

Yvette Cooper: All health authorities in England have in place dentistry action plans to ensure that everyone in their local area can access NHS dentistry if they want it, within a reasonable time and distance. These plans identify shortfalls in service provision and ways of tackling user demand.
	Based on information held by NHS Direct, one practice in both Boston and Skegness are accepting NHS patients. Action is being taken to improve this situation. Lincolnshire is one of the third wave personal dental service pilots. The pilot will see the development of a dental access centre at six sites across the county, including Boston and Skegness, through a combination of new buildings and conversion of existing community dental services. £877,000 capital and £340,000 revenue were allocated to the pilot in 2000–01 with a further £270,000 capital and £91,000 revenue in 2001–02.
	In addition, Lincolnshire has received dental care development funding amounting to £95,000 in 2000–01 and £185,000 in 2001–02 for expansion and modernisation of practices in areas of poor access which are already offering significant NHS commitment and are prepared to increase numbers of NHS patients. A further allocation of £407,000 has been made from the dental modernisation fund to modernise premises and upgrade equipment and from the dental practice. £17,000 has been allocated from the dental practice grant to set up quality assurance systems in each dental practice.

Waiting Times

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum waiting time for radiotherapy in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells has been in the last 12 months; and what the target is for maximum waiting times for radiotherapy.

Yvette Cooper: Information on radiotherapy waiting times is not collected centrally.
	The Government are committed to improving the whole cancer pathway from referral to diagnosis and, if needed, treatment. We have set out a series of targets that will come into force during the next few years. By 2005, there will be a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers and a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers. Information to monitor the achievement of these targets will be collected and published.

Hospital Treatment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency patients attending Oldchurch A and E department received in-patient treatment in (a) each half-yearly period from 1994–95 to date and (b) each of the last 12 months.

John Hutton: Data on patients admitted from accident and emergency are not available for the individual hospital requested. The Oldchurch hospital is part of Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust, which was formed in April 2001. Information on the number of patients admitted from an accident and emergency department is shown in the table. Previous years' figures are not available as this information was collected at health authority level.
	
		Admission from accident and emergency departments, for Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS trust, -- 2001–02 quarters one to three
		
			  2001–02 Number of patients admitted through A and E 
		
		
			 Quarter three 7,369 
			 Quarter two 6,338 
			 Quarter one 6,120 
		
	
	Source:
	"Your guide to the NHS" form

Hospital Treatment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients failed to attend for in-patient and day-care treatment in each of the past 10 years in England.

John Hutton: Data on the number of in-patients and day-cases that failed to attend (FTAs) are shown in the table.
	
		In-patient and day-case FTAs—NHS Trusts, England
		
			  Quarter Patients admitted Patient DNAs DNA rate percentage 
		
		
			 1991–92 — 2,993,532 192,068 6.0 
			 1992–93 — 3,111,627 180,538 5.5 
			 1993–94 — 3,110,477 179,594 5.5 
			 1994–95 — 3,376,016 199,535 5.6 
			 1995–96 — 3,500,353 207,515 5.6 
			 1996–97 — 3,549,073 223,255 5.9 
			 1998–99 — 3,826,507 171,382 4.3 
			 1999–2000 — 3,682,180 146,599 3.8 
			 2000–01 — 3,467,338 125,860 3.5 
			 2001–02 1 791,623 28,299 3.5 
			 2001–02 2 814,973 28,393 3.4 
			 2001–02 3 822,616 28,681 3.4 
		
	
	Note:
	Data for 1997–98 was collected at year end only, not on a quarterly basis, and is not included because of issues surrounding the quality of the data.
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH06

Hospital Treatment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people attended the A and E department at Oldchurch hospital in Havering in (a) 1992–93 and in each subsequent year to 2000–01 and (b) each of the last 12 months.

John Hutton: Data on accident and emergency (A and E) attendances are not collected on a monthly basis. From 2001–02, the information is available on a quarterly basis and previous to this on an annual basis.
	A and E data are not available for the individual hospital requested. The Oldchurch hospital is part of Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust, which was formed in April 2001 (previously it was part of Havering hospitals NHS trust). Information on the number of A and E attendances at the NHS organisation that contained the Oldchurch hospital is given in the table.
	
		Accident and emergency service activity, for the selected NHS trust, 1992–93 to 2001–02 quarter 4
		
			   Name First attendances Follow-up attendances Total attendances 
		
		
			 2001–02 quarter 4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals NHS trust 41,846 2,000 43,846 
			 2001–02 quarter 3 Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals NHS trust 43,709 2,587 46,296 
			 2001–02 quarter 2 Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals NHS trust 43,382 1,940 45,322 
			 2001–02 quarter 1 Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals NHS trust 43,770 1,904 45,674 
			 2000–01 Havering hospitals NHS trust 76,416 3,744 80,160 
			 1999–2000 Havering hospitals NHS trust 79,973 3,684 83,657 
			 1998–99 Havering hospitals NHS trust 86,118 6,240 92,358 
			 1997–98 Havering hospitals NHS trust 88,182 6,869 95,051 
			 1996–97 Havering hospitals NHS trust 89,273 8,516 97,789 
			 1995–96 Havering hospitals NHS trust 86,167 8,603 94,770 
			 1994–95 Havering hospitals NHS trust 93,356 9,191 102,547 
			 1993–94 Havering hospitals NHS trust 100,627 12,856 113,483 
			 1992–93 Barking, Havering and Brentwood DHA 110,529 15,850 126,379 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH09

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the advisory committee on training in nursing is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The advisory committee on training in nursing (ACTN) is one of a group of committees set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.
	The ACTN was set up by Council Decision 77/454/EEC. Its mandate is set down in Article 2, which states that:
	1. The task of the Committee shall be to help ensure a comparably demanding standard in the training of the various categories of nursing personnel throughout the Community.
	2. It shall carry out this task, in particular, by the following means:
	exchange of comprehensive information as to the training methods and the content, level and structure of theoretical and practical courses provided in the member states,
	discussion and consultation with the object of developing common approaches to the standard to be attained in the training of nursing personnel, and, as appropriate, to the structure and content of such training,
	keeping under the review the adaption of the above-mentioned training to developments in nursing practice, medical and social science and teaching methods.
	3. The Committee shall communicate to the Commission and the Member States its opinions and recommendations including, when it considers it appropriate, suggestions for amendments to be made to the provisions concerning training in the Directives relating to nursing activities as in Directives 77/452 EEC and 77/453/EEC.
	4. The Committee shall also advise the Commission on any matter which the Commission may refer to it in relation to the training of nursing personnel.
	Each advisory committee has three members per member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are also appointed. Members and alternates are nominated by Ministers following consultation with the relevant professional bodies.
	Advisory committee expenses fall to be paid by the Commission (or on occasion by the professions concerned). There is thus no direct charge to public funds.
	Member states are currently considering Commission proposals for streamlining the directives and processes relating to free movement of professionals. None of the advisory committees has met during the last 12 months; and none of them has any items under consideration.
	In April this year, the issues arising from the Commission's proposals for the future of professional recognition were submitted to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees (Explanatory Memorandum No. 7239/02- COM(2002)119final).

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the advisory committee on medical training is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The advisory committee on medical training (ACMT) is one of a group of committees set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.
	The ACMT was set up by Council Decision 75/364/EEC. Its mandate is set down in Article 2, which states that:
	1. "The Task of the Committee shall be to help to ensure a comparably demanding standard of medical training in the Community, with regard both to basic training and further training".
	2. It shall carry out this task, in particular, by the following means:
	exchange of comprehensive information as to the training methods and the content, level and structure of theoretical and practical courses provided in the member states;
	discussion and consultation with the object of developing common approaches to the standard to be attained in the training of doctors and, as appropriate, to the structure and content of such training;
	keeping under review the adaptation of medical training to developments in medical science and teaching methods.
	3. The Committee shall communicate to the Commission and the member states its opinions and recommendations including, when it considers it appropriate, suggestions for amendments to be made to the Articles relating to the training of doctors as in Directives 75/362/EEC and 75/363/EEC.
	4. The Committee shall also advise the Commission on any matter which the Commission may refer to it in relation to the training of doctors.
	Each advisory committee has three members per member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are also appointed. Members and alternates are nominated by Ministers following consultation with the relevant professional bodies.
	Advisory committee expenses fall to be paid by the Commission (or on occasion by the professions concerned).
	Member states are currently considering Commission proposals for streamlining the directives and processes relating to free movement of professionals. None of the advisory committees has met during the last 12 months; and none of them has any items under consideration.
	In April this year, the issues arising from the Commission's proposals for the future of professional recognition were submitted to the parliamentary Scrutiny Committees (Explanatory Memorandum No. 7239/02—COM(2002)119 final).

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the advisory committee on the training of dental practitioners is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The advisory committee on dental training (ACDT) is one of a group of committees set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.
	The ACDT was set up by Council Decision 78/688/EEC. Its mandate is set down in Article 2, which states that:
	1. The Task of the Committee shall be to help ensure a comparably demanding standard in the training of dental practitioners in the Community, with regard both to the training of dental practitioners and that of practitioners of specialised dentistry.
	2. It shall carry out this task, in particular, by the following means:
	exchange of comprehensive information as to the training methods and the content, level and structure of theoretical and practical courses provided in the member states,
	discussion and consultation with the object of developing common approaches to the standard to be attained in the training of dental practitioners and, as appropriate, to the structure and content of such training,
	keeping under the review the adaptation of the training of dental practitioners to developments in dental science and teaching methods.
	3. The Committee shall communicate to the Commission and the member states its opinions and recommendations including, when it considers it appropriate, suggestions for amendments to be made to the Articles relating to the training of dental practitioners as in Directives 78/686/EEC and 78/687/EEC.
	4. The Committee shall also advise the Commission on any matter which the Commission may refer to it in relation to the training of dental practitioners.
	Each advisory committee has three members per member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are also appointed. Members and alternates are nominated by Ministers following consultation with the relevant professional bodies.
	Advisory committee expenses fall to be paid by the Commission (or on occasion by the professions concerned).
	Member states are currently considering Commission proposals for streamlining the directives and processes relating to free movement of professionals. None of the advisory committees has met during the last 12 months; and none of them has any items under consideration.
	In April this year, the issues arising from the Commission's proposals for the future of professional recognition were submitted to the parliamentary Scrutiny Committees (Explanatory Memorandum No. 7239/02—COM(2002)119 final).

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the advisory committee on the training of midwives is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The advisory committee on the training of midwives (ACTM) is one of a group of committees set up to advise the European Commission and member states on matters relating to the training of workers whose professions come under sectoral directives guaranteeing free movement and automatic recognition of qualifications.
	The ACTM was set up by Council Decision 80/156/EEC. Its mandate is set down in Article 2, which states that:
	1. The Task of the Committee shall be to help ensure throughout the Community a comparably high standard in the training of midwives.
	2. It shall carry out this task, in particular, by the following means:
	exchange of comprehensive information as to the training methods and the content, level and structure of theoretical and practical courses provided in the member states,
	discussion and consultation with the object of developing common approaches to the standard to be attained in the training of midwives, and, as appropriate, to the structure and content of such training,
	keeping under the review the adaptation of the above-mentioned training to developments in midwifery practice, medical and social science and teaching methods.
	3. The Committee shall communicate to the Commission and the Member States its opinions and recommendations including, when it considers it appropriate, suggestions for amendments to be made to the articles concerning training of midwives in Directives 80/154/EEC and 80/155/EEC.
	4. The Committee shall also advise the Commission on any matter which the Commission may refer to it in relation to the training of midwives.
	Each advisory committee has three members per member state—one each from the practising profession, the education establishments and the competent authorities concerned. Three alternates are also appointed. Members and alternates are nominated by Ministers following consultation with the relevant professional bodies.
	Advisory committee expenses fall to be paid by the Commission (or on occasion by the professions concerned). There is thus no direct charge to public funds.
	Member states are currently considering Commission proposals for streamlining the directives and processes relating to free movement of professionals. None of the advisory committees has met during the last 12 months; and none of them has any items under consideration.
	In April this year, the issues arising from the Commission's proposals for the future of professional recognition were submitted to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees (Explanatory Memorandum No. 7239/02-COM(2002) 119final).

GPs

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of general practitioners he estimates will opt out of 24-hour responsibility.

John Hutton: It is too early to estimate what proportion of general practitioners will respond to the opportunities offered by the planned new national GP contract.

Breast Cancer

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women were screened for breast cancer in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: The number of women screened by the NHS breast screening programme in England in each of the last five years are contained in the following table.
	
		Number of women, aged 45 or over, screened for breast cancer in England, 1996–2001
		
			  Number of women screened 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,298,752 
			 1999–2000 1,322,891 
			 1998–99 1,232,310 
			 1997–98 1,179,658 
			 1996–97 1,109,845 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics Division 3G KC62.

Waiting Lists

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2002, Official Report, column 1121W, on waiting lists, when the results of the regional office reviews of the listed trusts will be (a) completed and (b) published.

John Hutton: The National Audit Office (NAO) report "Inappropriate Adjustments to NHS Waiting Lists" recommended that the Department investigate trusts where more than 10 per cent. of patients are suspended and which have more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment. There were 13 trusts that met both these criteria at the time of the report.
	An investigation was already taking place in Royal United Hospitals Bath, one of the 13 trusts that met the NAO criteria. This commenced in December 2001 with the findings being made public in a press release (ref: 2001/0201) on 3 May 2002.
	Between December 2001 and early May 2002, regional offices reviewed the waiting list position at the 12 other national health service trusts and found no evidence of inappropriate adjustments to waiting lists taking place. The findings of these reviews were also announced on 3 May.

Infectious Diseases

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of running each of the high security infectious diseases units in each of the past five years.

Yvette Cooper: The Department provided funding for the running costs of the high security infectious disease units at Coppett's Wood and Newcastle in the past five financial years as shown in the table:
	
		£ 
		
			  Coppett's Wood Newcastle 
		
		
			 1997–98 333,405 171,169 
			 1998–99 366,543 170,000 
			 1999–2000 340,000 185,000 
			 2000–01 321,000 180,000 
			 2001–02 321,000 180,000 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures for 1999–2000 to 2001–2002 include an annual transfer of £47,000 from the Scottish Executive.

Infectious Diseases

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients in each of the last five years were treated in the high security infectious disease units in (a) London and (b) Newcastle;
	(2)  for what diseases patients were admitted, and how many patients there were in each case, to each of the high security infectious disease units in each of the past five years;
	(3)  what the staffing levels were at each high security infectious diseases unit in each of the past five years.

Yvette Cooper: Patient admissions and diagnoses at the high security infectious disease units at Coppett's Wood (north London) and Newcastle from 1997 to 2001 are shown in the table:
	
		
			  Coppett's Wood Newcastle 
		
		
			 1997 0 0 
			 1998 0 0 
			 1999 0 0 
			 2000 (21)1 (22)1 
			 2001 0 0 
		
	
	(21) Lassa fever
	(22) Suspected Lassa fever, subsequently diagnosed as malaria
	These units exist as a contingency arrangement to provide secure and specialist clinical care for patients with or suspected of having rare, highly contagious and serious infectious diseases such as Ebola and Lassa fevers. Admissions are therefore infrequent.
	Sufficient medical, nursing and laboratory staff, who are routinely involved in the treatment, care and diagnosis of patients with infectious diseases, are on call for the medium and high security infectious disease units. This ensures that they maintain equipment and participate in regular training exercises so that the units remain in a state of readiness to admit and care for patients securely.

48-hour Access Target

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the NHS Plan 48-hour access target will apply in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

John Hutton: This target applies only in England.

Vaccine Contracts

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value was of contracts awarded for supply of (a) BCG vaccines, (b) Tuberculin PPD solutions and (c) influenza vaccines in the last 12 months.

Yvette Cooper: No tenders were sought and no contracts awarded in the last 12 months for BCG vaccine or Tuberculin PPD solutions.
	The value of the contract for a contingency supply of influenza vaccine cannot be disclosed as it is commercially confidential.

Staff Numbers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the National Clinical Assessment Authority at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients.

Yvette Cooper: The National Clinical Assessment Authority employs 38 staff. Of those, 10 have clinical contact with national health service patients.

Staff Numbers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many staff were employed in the General Osteopathic Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(2)  how many staff were employed in the Retained Organs Commission at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(3)  how many staff were employed in the General Optical Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(4)  how many staff were employed in the Nursing and Midwifery Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(5)  how many staff were employed in the General Medical Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(6)  how many staff were employed in the General Dental Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients;
	(7)  how many staff were employed in the Health Professions Council at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients.

Yvette Cooper: The table shows the number of people employed at 1 April 2002 in the seven independent health profession regulatory bodies. None of the staff have clinical contact.
	
		
			  Name of regulatory body Number of staff employed at 1 April 2002 
		
		
			 General Osteopathic Council 20 
			 General Chiropractic Council 8 
			 General Optical Council 13 
			 Nursing and Midwifery Council 139 
			 General Medical Council 294 
			 General Dental Council 60 
			 Health Professions Council 51 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are based on head count.

Speech Therapists (Vacancies)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for speech and language therapists; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: As at 31 March 2001 there were 200 vacancies for speech and language therapists that had lasted for three months or more.
	Between 1997 and 2001 the number of speech and language therapists working in the national health service has increased by 810 (11 per cent.) and the number of training places available for students has increased by over a hundred since 1998. There will be further increases in the number of students entering training as a result of the NHS Plan commitment to provide 4,450 more training places each year for therapists and other health professionals by 2004. The increased investment in training, work to make the NHS a better employer and encourage return to practice, will result in a continued increase in the number of speech therapists available to work in the NHS.

Surgical Outsourcing

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of outsourcing of surgical interventions has been in the last 12 months.

John Hutton: Based on a survey of national health service organisations carried out in October 2001, we estimate that in the first six months of 2001–02 the number of surgical procedures carried out by independent providers on behalf of the NHS was equivalent to around 1.2 per cent. of total NHS acute elective in-patient and day-case surgical activity.

Smear Tests

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have failed to make appointments for their regular smear test in each of the last three years; how many appointments for smear tests have been broken in each of the last three years; how many cases of cervical cancer have not received their regular smear test in that time; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Cervical screening is not a test for cancer but for abnormalities which, if left undetected and untreated, may develop into cancer. The national computerised call/recall system for cervical screening invites women aged 20 to 64 for a free cervical screening test every three to five years.
	The figures are not available in the form requested. 83 per cent. of eligible women were screened at least once in the last five years. Detailed statistics on the number of invitations and the number of women tested are available in Tables 3 and 5 of Statistical Bulletin: Cervical Screening Programme, England: 1998–99, Statistical Bulletin: Cervical Screening Programme, England: 1999–2000, and Statistical Bulletin: Cervical Screening Programme, England: 2000–01, copies of which are available in the Library.

Paediatric Pathologists

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to address the shortage of paediatric pathologists.

John Hutton: The Department is aware of the difficulties facing national health service paediatric pathology services, highlighted in the recent report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 'The Future of Paediatric Pathology Services.' We are committed to working closely with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Pathologists to improve long-term staffing levels in this speciality. The establishment of three histopathology training schools and of international fellowships to attract experienced histopathologists to work in the NHS will both increase the pool from which paediatric pathologists can be recruited. The children's care group workforce team also plans to start work on this issue in June.

Food Allergies

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died as a result of a food allergy in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Reliable data are not available for the number of deaths associated with food allergy. This is because deaths due to allergy are often attributed on the death certificate to asthma or some other symptom rather than to actual food allergy. The committee on toxicity reported in 2000 that of about 20 deaths annually attributed to fatal anaphylactic shock, 30 per cent. (i.e. about seven) are due to foods, the most commonly implicated food being peanut.

Food Allergies

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK have been diagnosed as having a potentially fatal food allergy.

Yvette Cooper: Reliable data are not available for the precise incidence of potentially fatal food allergy. Most allergic reactions to food are mild, although reactions can be severe, even life threatening in a small number of cases. The food most commonly associated with fatal food allergic reactions is peanuts. In the UK, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal has shown that 1 in 200 children suffer from peanut allergy.

Physiotherapists

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physiotherapists there are per head of population in each of the National Health Service trust areas in England.

John Hutton: Population data are not available by trust but have been given by health authority as shown in the table.
	Between 1997 and 2001 the number of physiotherapists has increased by 1,640 or 14 per cent.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS): qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff within the physiotherapy area of work by health authority area and per population as at 30 September 2001
		
			 Health authority Whole-time equivalents Per 100,000 population Per head of population Headcount 
		
		
			 England 12,990 26 0.0003 16,210 
			  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 1,880 30 0.0003 2,270 
			 QDD—Bradford 160 33 0.0003 190 
			 QDE—County Durham and Darlington 110 18 0.0002 130 
			 QDF—East Riding and Hull 140 24 0.0002 160 
			 QDG—Gateshead and South Tyneside 80 23 0.0002 90 
			 QDH—Leeds 280 38 0.0004 330 
			 QDJ—Newcastle and North Tyneside 150 33 0.0003 180 
			 QDK—North Cumbria 110 33 0.0003 130 
			 QDM—Northumberland 150 49 0.0005 180 
			 QDN—Sunderland 80 27 0.0003 90 
			 QDP—Tees 180 33 0.0003 220 
			 QDQ—Wakefield 90 29 0.0003 100 
			 QDR—North Yorkshire 180 24 0.0002 240 
			 QDT—Calderdale and Kirklees 170 28 0.0003 200 
			  
			 Trent 1,330 26 0.0003 1,600 
			 QCG—Barnsley 60 27 0.0003 70 
			 QCH—North Derbyshire 90 25 0.0003 120 
			 QCJ—South Derbyshire 120 22 0.0002 160 
			 QCK—Doncaster 90 31 0.0003 100 
			 QCL—Leicestershire 200 21 0.0002 240 
			 QCM—Lincolnshire 120 18 0.0002 140 
			 QCN—North Nottinghamshire 110 27 0.0003 130 
			 QCP—Nottingham 210 32 0.0003 250 
			 QCQ—Rotherham 80 33 0.0003 100 
			 QCR—Sheffield 230 43 0.0004 270 
			 QDL—South Humber 20 8 0.0001 20 
			  
			 West Midlands 1,360 25 0.0003 1,750 
			 QD9—Birmingham 330 33 0.0003 390 
			 QEA—Coventry 80 27 0.0003 110 
			 QEC—Dudley 70 23 0.0002 90 
			 QED—Herefordshire 40 22 0.0002 60 
			 QEE—Sandwell 50 17 0.0002 60 
			 QEF—Shropshire 140 32 0.0003 190 
			 QEG—Solihull 20 8 0.0001 30 
			 QEH—North Staffordshire 160 34 0.003 200 
			 QEJ—South Staffordshire 120 20 0.0002 160 
			 QEK—Walsall 40 15 0.0001 40 
			 QEL—Warwickshire 130 25 0.0002 160 
			 QEM—Wolverhampton 60 25 0.0002 70 
			 QEN—Worcestershire 130 24 0.0002 180 
			  
			 North West 1,940 29 0.0003 2,360 
			 QC1—South Lancashire 60 18 0.0002 80 
			 QC2—Liverpool 150 33 0.0003 170 
			 QC3—Manchester 270 63 0.0006 310 
			 QC4—Morecambe Bay 90 29 0.0003 130 
			 QC5—St. Helen's and Knowsley 70 23 0.0002 90 
			 QC6—Salford and Trafford 140 31 0.0003 160 
			 QC7—Sefton 120 41 0.0004 130 
			 QC8—Stockport 70 23 0.0002 80 
			 QC9—West Pennine 100 21 0.0002 110 
			 QCT—Bury and Rochdale 70 18 0.0002 80 
			 QCV—North Cheshire 110 35 0.0004 140 
			 QCW—South Cheshire 160 23 0.0002 220 
			 QCX—East Lancashire 110 22 0.0002 140 
			 QCY—North West Lancashire 120 27 0.0003 160 
			 QDA—Wigan and Bolton 190 34 0.0003 230 
			 QDC—Wirral 110 35 0.0003 150 
			  
			 Eastern 1,110 20 0.0002 1,400 
			 QA6—Bedfordshire 100 17 0.0002 120 
			 QAX—North Essex 150 16 0.0002 200 
			 QAY—South Essex 120 17 0.0002 140 
			 QCF—Suffolk 150 22 0.0002 210 
			 QER—Cambridgeshire 200 26 0.0003 250 
			 QET—Norfolk 210 26 0.0003 260 
			 QEX—Hertfordshire 180 17 0.0002 220 
			  
			 London 2,000 27 0.0003 2,320 
			 QA2—Hillingdon 30 13 0.0001 40 
			 QA3—Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 210 52 0.0005 250 
			 QA5—Redbridge and Waltham Forest 50 11 0.0001 60 
			 QAD—Croydon 70 21 0.0002 90 
			 QAG—Kingston and Richmond 60 16 0.0002 70 
			 QAH—Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 260 34 0.0003 280 
			 QAJ—Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 260 40 0.0004 310 
			 QAP—Barking and Havering 100 26 0.0003 110 
			 QAR—Brent and Harrow 130 27 0.0003 160 
			 QAT—Camden and Islington 210 55 0.0006 230 
			 QAV—Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 140 21 0.0002 170 
			 QAW—East London and the City 170 26 0.0003 180 
			 QEW—Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 170 20 0.0002 210 
			 QEY—Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 140 19 0.0002 180 
			  
			 South-East 2,000 23 0.0002 2,670 
			 QA7—Berkshire 160 20 0.0002 230 
			 QA8—Buckinghamshire 150 22 0.0002 210 
			 QAE—East Kent 150 26 0.0003 190 
			 QAF—West Kent 190 19 0.0002 260 
			 QAK—East Surrey 90 21 0.0002 120 
			 QAL—West Surrey 210 32 0.0003 280 
			 QAM—East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 190 25 0.0002 250 
			 QAN—West Sussex 150 20 0.0002 200 
			 QCC—Northamptonshire 100 17 0.0002 140 
			 QCE—Oxfordshire 200 32 0.0003 280 
			 QD1—North and Mid Hampshire 100 18 0.0002 130 
			 QD3—Southampton and South West Hampshire 140 26 0.0003 190 
			 QEV—Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 150 22 0.0002 190 
			  
			 South West 1,370 27 0.0003 1,850 
			 QD5—Somerset 130 26 0.0003 200 
			 QD6—South and West Devon 180 30 0.0003 220 
			 QD7—Wiltshire 150 25 0.0002 240 
			 QD8—Avon 310 30 0.0003 390 
			 QDV—Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 120 24 0.0002 150 
			 QDW—Dorset 180 26 0.0003 260 
			 QDX—North and East Devon 150 31 0.0003 200 
			 QDY—Gloucestershire 150 27 0.0003 200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Staff figures are rounded to the nearest 10
	2. Population rates are rounded to the nearest whole number and four decimal places
	3. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts
	Source:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census

Chiropody

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the numbers of persons entering training as chiropodists.

John Hutton: Chiropodists are included within the NHS Plan target for 4,450 more therapists and other key professional staff entering training each year by 2004. Our latest forecast or meeting this target suggest an increase of more than a hundred places (34 per cent.) over current levels by 2004.
	We intend to work with the society of chiropodists and podiatrists to raise the profile of the profession and encourage students to enter training.

Chiropody

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts on the provision of chiropody services; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: No guidance has been issued to strategic health authorities or primary care trusts (PCTs) on provision of chiropody services. However, chiropody/ podiatry services are essential parts of the national service frameworks for older people and diabetes. The Department has also launched a "National Primary and Care Trust programme (NatPaCT)" designed to support PCTs in delivering their key functions which will be:
	improving the health of the community,
	securing the provision of high quality services, and
	integrating health and social care locally.
	As local organisations, PCTs are best placed to understand the needs of their patient populations. This will ensure that the right services are delivered to the right people in the right location at the right time.

Violent Incidents

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish figures for violent incidents against NHS staff.

John Hutton: The analysis of data collected on the levels of reported violent incidents, together with data on the levels of reported accidents and sickness absence should be complete by the end of May. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Scanners

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MRI scanners the NHS has.

Yvette Cooper: There are currently 198 magnetic resonance imaging scanners (MRI) installed in the national health service in England.
	In September 1999 the new opportunities fund (NOF) provided funding for the purchase of equipment in support of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, which included 38 new and replacement MRI scanners. Of these, 30 have been delivered and are operational.
	NOF announced further funding in November 2001 for 16 MRI scanners to be used for the diagnosis of stroke. 11 of these scanners will be additional and five will be replacement. All are due to be installed by the end of 2003.
	The NHS Plan and NHS Cancer Plan make a commitment for a further 50 additional MRI scanners to be installed in the NHS by 2004.

Flu Vaccine

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up rates for flu vaccine were at (a) 1 November and (b) 1 December 2001 for each health authority.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 21 May 2002
	Information received from flu co-ordinators show the uptake rates in those aged 65 years and over at 1 November and 1 December for each health authority as follows:
	
		
			  November 2001 December 2001 
		
		
			 Eastern   
			 Bedfordshire 45.6 59.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 55.5 70.5 
			 Hertfordshire 47.9 61.3 
			 Norfolk 51.7 65.6 
			 North Essex 55.7 65.5 
			 South Essex 50.9 63.4 
			 Suffolk 55.1 65.7 
			
			 Northern and Yorkshire   
			 Bradford 53.3 64.3 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 55.3 64.2 
			 County Durham and Darlington 52.8 63.9 
			 East Riding and Hull 42.5 67.3 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 55.1 67.7 
			 Leeds 56.3 69.7 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 57.0 66.7 
			 North Cumbria 54.9 67.6 
			 North Yorkshire 58.5 70.6 
			 Northumberland 58.6 68.9 
			 Sunderland 55.4 65.5 
			 Tees 51.4 64.8 
			 Wakefield 56.6 66.4 
			
			 South-east   
			 Berkshire 53.9 67.3 
			 Buckinghamshire 51.7 65.2 
			 East Kent 57.0 65.0 
			 East Surrey 45.6 62.3 
			 East Sussex, Brighton/Hove 54.9 68.5 
			 North and Mid-Hants 37.9 69.5 
			 Northamptonshire 58.2 66.3 
			 Oxfordshire 54.3 69.4 
			 Portsmouth and South-east Hants 51.8 65.7 
			 Southampton and South-west Hants 57.8 68.1 
			 West Kent 55.0 64.0 
			 West Surrey 47.0 41.9 
			 West Sussex 57.2 63.5 
			
			 North-west   
			 Bury and Rochdale 42.9 59.4 
			 East Lancashire 49.1 63.3 
			 Liverpool 48.6 61.1 
			 Manchester 46.8 55.4 
			 Morecambe Bay 47.2 65.2 
			 North Cheshire 54.1 62.8 
			 North-west Lancashire 38.6 56.7 
			 Salford and Trafford 51.2 64.5 
			 Sefton 54.4 66.7 
			 South Cheshire 57.0 68.4 
			 South Lancashire 55.5 67.1 
			 St. Helen's and Knowsley 54.3 65.0 
			 Stockport 52.4 67.9 
			 West Pennine 49.2 63.3 
			 Wigan and Bolton 53.4 63.9 
			 Wirral 48.1 62.8 
			
			 London   
			 Barking and Havering 50.2 64.1 
			 Bexley and Greenwich (Bromley) 49.2 60.0 
			 Brent and Harrow 47.5 61.9 
			 Camden and Islington 43.4 50.1 
			 Croydon 44.1 59.5 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith, Hounslow 42.7 56.4 
			 East London and City 47.0 56.5 
			 Enfield and Haringey (Barnet) 50.1 65.6 
			 Hillingdon 68.6 63.4 
			 Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster 35.7 46.9 
			 Kingston and Richmond 50.3 61.5 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 38.4 47.5 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 46.7 60.6 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 50.7 63.3 
			
			 South and West   
			 Avon 49.0 67.5 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 49.4 60.6 
			 Dorset 53.5 65.2 
			 Gloucestershire 53.4 67.8 
			 North and East Devon 55.6 66.5 
			 Somerset 50.9 63.1 
			 South and West Devon 51.1 65.7 
			 Wiltshire 52.8 63.9 
			
			 Trent   
			 Barnsley 49.4 63.8 
			 Doncaster 55.9 68.3 
			 Leicestershire 49.7 61.9 
			 Lincolnshire 54.9 66.3 
			 North Derbyshire 61.5 72.1 
			 North Nottinghamshire 54.0 65.4 
			 Nottingham 57.3 66.5 
			 Rotherham 57.8 74.9 
			 Sheffield 54.2 70.7 
			 Southern Derbyshire 58.2 68.3 
			 South Humber 55.7 68.3 
			
			 West Midlands   
			 Birmingham 51.1 60.4 
			 Coventry 48.9 61.1 
			 Dudley 50.8 63.2 
			 Herefordshire 63.1 68.7 
			 North Staffordshire 57.9 68.2 
			 Sandwell 48.8 57.4 
			 Shropshire 55.6 67.2 
			 Solihull 56.9 67.4 
			 South Staffordshire 53.8 65.3 
			 Walsall 53.2 61.7 
			 Warwickshire 57.6 69.6 
			 Wolverhampton 50.2 64.2 
			 Worcester 54.6 67.5

MMR

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason children given measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations singly have the rubella vaccination first.

Yvette Cooper: The Government do not recommend the use of separate vaccines to protect children against rubella, measles or mumps and are therefore unable to comment. We recommend that children are vaccinated with the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, as the safest way for parents to protect their children against these potentially very serious diseases.

MMR

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if MMR is included in the research into the causes of autism undertaken by his Department.

Yvette Cooper: The Medical Research Council (MRC)—which receives most of its income via grant-in- aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry—is the main Government agency that funds research into the causes of medical conditions. Their most recent review of the epidemiology and causes of autism, published in December last year, notes that autism seems likely to result from a range of causes but that the strongest evidence to date is for a major genetic component. The report states that several genes may interact to create susceptibility to the disorder. In relation to the combined MMR vaccine, it advises that the evidence does not support the proposed causal link between MMR and autism.
	We have since announced the allocation of a further £2.5 million to the MRC for autism research. This will complement and add to the MRC's current support for research in this field. The MRC welcomes high quality applications for support in any scientific area which will further our understanding of autism, and especially those areas which were highlighted in the recent MRC review of autism: causes and epidemiology; this does not preclude research involving MMR.